Progressive's progress

Jeez, it's enough to give a wary (and weary) progressive some hope. Everybody seems to be taking Bush to task this week. All of sudden it feels like a damn has burst and all this pent up truth is breaking down the wall of lies. It's sort of like when you go to a music club where everyone is waiting for someone else to start dancing. All it takes it that first couple to tear up the floor, to get the rest of the crowd up on their feet.

Richard A. Clarke at the NYT puts on his dancing shoes today and looks at War and Weakness. Here's the money quote.

Maybe it is time to at least begin a public dialogue about ''staying the course.'' Opponents of an ''early'' departure of American forces say it would result in chaos in Iraq. Yet we already have chaos, and how sure can we be that sectarian fighting will not follow our departure whenever we leave? Is it unpatriotic to ask if the major reason for the fighting in Iraq is that we are still there.

I'd say it's unpatriotic not to ask.