We’ve lost Bush’s war in Iraq. We’ve ceded three cities to insurgents, the death toll of American soldiers climbs more rapidly as each week passes, the overwhelming majority of Iraqis are opposed to the United States, and the nation is spiraling down into civil war.
It’s not possible to win an occupation. Had we been greeted with flowers and sweets, as the Bush administration said we would be, it’d be different. But to occupy a nation that “wouldn’t want to be occupied” (to use President Bush’s words) is to fail. Short of killing the populace and sowing the fields with salt, it’s a losing proposition.
Sep. 17 Update: Hey, whaddya know — the National Foreign Intelligence Board and top military officials agree with me. I knew they’d come around once they saw my blog entry.