Just asking…

If things in Iraq are going so swimmingly, why is it that no US official ever makes an announced visit there?  Why did Condi and Rummy sneak into town like thieves in the night if it’s all flowers and candy and good news in the colonies?  I mean, honestly, we are a sovereign nation supposedly sending members of our Administration into the territory of another soverign nation, right?  Since when have we sneaked into Britain or Russia or even Trinidad and Tobago?  Why all the tiptoeing into Iraq?

Perhaps because they would rather be alive — since things are not going all that swimmingly?  I’m just saying.

An interesting op-ed in the WaPo today from a British military historian that discusses, among other things, why the politicization of military operations by civilian leadership ought to result in the conequences of bad decisionmaking falling on the heads of those same civilian meddlers instead of on generals who are only following orders.  It explains a lot of the recent speaking out that we have continued to hear from retired Army and Marines brass — and will likely continue hearing, the way things are going.  (Oh, and in case you were wondering what military folks really think — ArmyTimes has been running a survey of its readers and more than 64% of them think it is past time for Rumsfeld to be sacked.  h/t to Mike Stark for the heads up on this one.) 

Rummy oughtn’t have it both ways — he wanted a war on the cheap, he should pay the price for his policies’ failures.  As should the President. 

Accountability — it’s the new black.

One other important note:  John Fund of the WSJ made up quotes in an effort to discredit Juan Cole.  Not only is this this smarmy and dishonest, but the WSJ has not retracted the inaccurate quotes nor have they apologized to Prof. Cole.  This is unacceptable, and I think it is high time we all let them know — politely — that lying in an effort to discredit those with whom you disagree will not be tolerated.  Please take a moment to let the WSJ know how you feel:  OpJournal.help@dowjones.com   Shame on them — and shame on John Fund.  Either argue on the merits or admit that you are intellectually dishonest and a cheater — you choose.  (UPDATE:  The fact that Fund made something up isn’t exactly shocking to me.  But Juan Cole is a decent man who does incredible work — and he deserves all of us having his back on this.  Period.  Fund should not be allowed to just lie in print without being called on it.)

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