God help America - Nobody Else Will

Condoleeza Rice blew into Baghdad to echo the Prez' sentiments that Prime Minister Ibrahim Al Jaabari is no longer eligible for office - a regime change (if there was a regime) is in order. The only problem is who to put in his place. It can't be a Sunni and it won't be a Kurd, so what's needed is 'reformed' Shi-ite - one of the modernists who whips himself with a loofah and pours Calvin klein skin care products on his head. One for whom the sharpest object nearing his body is an electric (remingtion) razor and Baghdad is a word on the label of his imported dining room carpet. A Shiite who did at least one semester at a US University and has a blonde missus. Preferably one who attended West Point and the Wharton school. Somebody the US can talk to.

But, ya know, Condy was talking to the wrong people. She needed to be talking to the US Army and the friendly folks at Bechtel - what they do has more to do with Iraqi democracy than any number of Iraqi ministers right now. In fact it's impossible to have a democracy when these organs and everyone in them are above the law - correct that, they ARE the law.

I can't help but think that that oil is the real reason the Yanks are still in Iraq. When they do pull out, they want to make sure that oil will be coming with them. Until that's a positive, watch for them to stay. The tactics are changing - they're going to set the Iraqis up for the 'small shit' that costs daily casualties.

The Yanks will stay in air-conditioned comfort out in the desert with a 60 mile security perimeter and leave it for big 'heli-borne' operations designed to contain, search and destroy 'insurgents'. The sort of massive fire-power battles the Yanks love to see on TV - lots of shooting and explosions, where every dead Iraqi is an 'evil-doer' and the news footage is well-censored.

The hope is the Iraqis will regain control (I wouldn't bet two bits) or that the Al Qaeda will get tired and go home. Then Bechtel can start pumping out that Iraqi 'war loan'.