Desperation on the Hill

I feel a cluster-fuck coming on.

When General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker go up to Capitol Hill next week for their long awaited report on the situation in Iraq, you can bet they will downplay the major disappointments and accentuate the minor successes – and then claim that what’s needed is more of the same – more money and maybe even more troops.

They will lay the bullshit on thick for the politicos, and even make Democrats feel good about rolling over for President Bush’s wild-eyed and doomed-to-fail shell game.

How many Iraqis have been killed by American forces since the “surge” began?

Is Iraq closer to formulating a central government with enough support from the populace to bring the factions together and stabilize the country?

Are we sure that the people we’re training and arming won’t one day turn their weapons on US forces?

The problem with declining empires is that they make a lot of mistakes out of desperation.

Our political leaders are weak and deceitful, our mass media is lazy as well as stupid, and the majority of our people are too busy trying to hang on to middle class status to give a rat’s ass.

We are screwed.

We are losing.

Highlights at 11:00.