Level one, two, three -- what are we fighting for...

Today's "good news" from Iraq, the one battalion (700-800 soldiers) of Iraqi forces that has been touted by Bush for weeks as a sign of progress has been downgraded to a level two force, meaning they are incapable of fighting for themselves without US troop support. The rage-based rightwingers are busy spinning this as a boondoggle of the "liberal press" since the article mentions the level two forces have increased to 53 battalions.

What part of "needing US support with logistics, airstrikes, backup fire and medical evac don't they understand? How great, now we have thousands of Iraqi soldiers who can't function unless the US is there holding their hands and doing all the hard work for them. The cheerleaders don't mention how this is going to help us cut our own troop levels. It's like opening a day care center that becomes so successful it has hundreds of kids in it and saying we don't need the teachers anymore because what, the kids can look after each other?

Reality based-blogger, Taylor Marsh, reminds us that the ultimate responsiblilty for what happens next rests with us, the American public. If you're not contacting your Congresscritters to let them know it's time to get out, then you're part of the problem. The Dems in particular are in a need a big shove to get them to stand up for their own more sensible plan for Iraq.

Meanwhile, the ragin' rightwingers are busy hurling their childish epithets against anyone who dares to mention The Imperial President has no clothes, but somehow in this barrage, they fail to notice those of their own kind who have jumped ship. The latest being William Buckley who opens his latest essay saying, "One can't doubt that the American objective in Iraq has failed."

Our mission has failed because Iraqi animosities have proved uncontainable by an invading army of 130,000 Americans. [...]

It would not be surprising to learn from an anonymously cited American soldier that he can understand why Saddam Hussein was needed to keep the Sunnis and the Shiites from each others' throats.

Buckley further notes that after years of chaos since the liberation, the one common theme is everyone in Iraq now blames the Americans. While here in the US, in the safety of their homes, the remaining supporters of this occupation "courageously" cheer from the sidelines to continue sending our troops into this tinderbox of discontent, lest it be revealed to their readers that they were wrong all along.