Old stories are new again in Iraq

I'm working today so just a quick post from this morning's madcap media - emphasis on the mad, as in batshit crazy. First the Guardian apparently let its guard down and bought the latest fish story from the White House, hook, line and sinker. Or would that be stinker?

Iran is secretly forging ties with al-Qaida elements and Sunni Arab militias in Iraq in preparation for a summer showdown with coalition forces intended to tip a wavering US Congress into voting for full military withdrawal, US officials say.

"Iran is fighting a proxy war in Iraq and it's a very dangerous course for them to be following. They are already committing daily acts of war against US and British forces," a senior US official in Baghdad warned. "They [Iran] are behind a lot of high-profile attacks meant to undermine US will and British will, such as the rocket attacks on Basra palace and the Green Zone [in Baghdad]. The attacks are directed by the Revolutionary Guard who are connected right to the top [of the Iranian government]."

This brilliant analysis brought to you by a "high level" anonymous US military source and we all know how impeccable those guys are. I mean what's not to believe? Iran, who is closely aligned with Badr and his Shias in the government, is bombing its own allies that are already in the strongest position of power and furthermore is arming the sectarian factions that are killing Badr's militia guys, just so they can foment enough discord to force the US into leaving Iraq, because you know the resentment about the occupation is only making Sadr's position stronger and hell, Tehran wouldn't want their own guy to win the civil war or anything.

Not only does this not pass the smell test, it doesn't pass the moron test How dumb does this White House think we are? For the brainy posts on this story, see Atty Tood and Juan Cole.

Meanwhile in related news, David Ignatius must have just retyped the White House press release on this "new" post-surge plan. The new part being is they're calling it bi-partisan instead of an edict from his royal Deciderness. I don't have time to dissect this one but you can go Sadly No for the fisking and Fester for slightly less snarky but excellent analysis.

Bottom line on this one. Contrary to the conclusion that the Pentagon reached a couple of weeks ago, that training the Iraqi security forces is a lost cause and we have to clean up Baghdad ourselves, we are now going to train the Iraqis and let them clean up the mess up so we can help them reach reconciliation, except we don't think they can reach reconciliation so we're going to -- well -- basically the strategy is to keep running around in circles until the clock runs out on Bush's presidency so he doesn't have to be the one who presides over the inevitable withdrawal.

I've got a Kennedy half-dollar waiting for the first person that can find one "new" item in this "plan" that hasn't been recycled from some old "new" plan and I'll even kick in my other Kennedy half dollar if anyone can find one point that Ignatius doesn't contradict himself on. Don't these "serious journalists" ever proof their work?