…you should be reading Kos (pronounced as if it were the second syllable of the name “Markos,” which in fact it is — not “daily cause” or “daily chaos,” though each would be somehow apt).
The mess in Iraq was easily predictable as early as last year, when war talk first sprung up. PNAC arguments that a friendly Iraq would reshape the entire region were laughably absurd (an Israel-friendly Iraqi government wouldn’t survive a week). And it’s been clear for a long time that neither Israel nor the Palestinians are genuinely interested in peace, addicted as they are to the cycle of tit-for-that violence.
The body count continues to rise (something curiously omitted by the article), which will spur continued and impassioned opposition to Bush’s handling of the war. Also omitted — the increasing costs of the occupation as our national infrastructure demands massive investments.
The real question is not whether Bush can use national security to his advantage, it’s whether Democrats can use it to their advantage. This isn’t about “neutralizing” the issue, it’s about turning it on its head and wielding it as a weapon against Bush. We have the material to work with. It’s a question of using it.
In other words, more ju jitsu. Let’s hope there’s a Democrat running who’s not afraid to try it.