Talk to the Hand

Here we are. It's 9/12. Let's get back to business. A senior Marine intelligence officer in Iraq had this to say:

The political and security situation in western Iraq is grim and will continue to deteriorate unless the region receives a major infusion of aid and a division is sent to reinforce the American troops operating there, according to the senior Marine intelligence officer in Iraq.

Apparently we still don’t have things under control in Afghanistan, we need far greater numbers of troops on the ground in western Iraq to secure the region, and we're failing to even maintain control in Baghdad.

If we are to believe Bush when he said, "The safety of America depends on the outcome of the battle in the streets of Baghdad," then don't count on safety for a very long time. Has he officially narrowed it down to Baghdad now rather than all of Iraq?

Ahhh, sweet simplicity.

The NY Times also had this article today about a conservative suburban Denver district where many voters are having second thoughts. However, some still cling to the propaganda machine:

Blaine Engdahl, an off-duty police officer who was waving the flag Saturday as he watched Arvada’s annual harvest festival parade from the back of a pickup, said: “I think he has made his mistakes, but he is trying. If we don’t fight them there, we are going to be fighting them over here.”

Gee, I wonder where he heard that.