Progress

More progress that we're making in Iraq-

The mosque of Imam Kadhim, the most revered Shiite shrine in Baghdad, is a tempting target for Sunni insurgents. To protect it, Iraqi and U.S. troops rely on the Mahdi Army, the same Shiite militia that Washington considers a threat to Iraq's stability....

...Without the militia, U.S. and Iraqi officers acknowledge that the 2,000 Iraqi security forces and 500 American soldiers based in the area would be hard-pressed to protect the neighborhood's 120,000 residents and the shrine, which houses the tombs of two 8th century Shiite imams.

By leaving the Mahdi security network in place around the shrine, U.S. commanders do not need to divert resources from other parts of the city where security is worse....

War pushers wanted to dismantle the Mahdi Army, but can't because Iraq needs them for security. Victory!

I'm sure the families and friends of our soldiers (not to mention the destroyed and displaced families of Iraq) can take comfort in knowing their sacrifices have created this beautiful clusterfuck we keep digging ourselves deeper into.

But don't worry... Republicans swear they're gonna abandon Bush/the war in September. And this time, they're still completely full of shit totally serious. No, seriously, they're just full of shit. Operation: Stalling For Time continues.

Please fasten your seatbelts and put your scapegoats in their full upright position.

[PS- The Pentagon notified 35,000 soldiers to be prepared for Iraq this Fall. Extreme surge!]