That’s what the “Generals on the ground” (i.e. the voices in Bush’s head that he has been listening to so intently for 4 years) are trying to do to this administration’s dreams for Iraq. Their hubris, their resolve, their misguided preordained righteousness. Like any bad habit, it’s an addiction that will be difficult to break, even for those whom the decider has promised to listen to.

Nightmarish political realities in Baghdad are prompting American officials to curb their vision for democracy in Iraq. Instead, the officials now say they are willing to settle for a government that functions and can bring security.

In other words, settle for the government that Saddam had in place. Perhaps? Just maybe? I’m willing to bet they’d take that trade-off at this point. I’m not saying Iraq would be better off with Saddam still there, it’s just odd that his government meets the qualifications of what they’re willing to settle for now. Oh, if only they could have 1980’s Saddam back, wouldn’t that be dreamy.

This would be funny it weren’t so fucking late… by about 84 years. And if it wasn’t just another nail in the coffin for the rose-colored predictions that the Bush administration got absolutely 180 degrees dead wrong, it might even qualify as ironic.

I might even be dumb enough to think it will have an effect on this administration’s policies if I hadn’t already seen the video of 1994 Cheney telling us that these exact circumstances would exist in Iraq if we “liberated” them. If I wasn’t so sure that they’d trumpet the old “9-11 changed everything” slogan right in the face of perfect evidence that it, in fact, did not, then it might be worth it to hope that the habit can be curbed.

But it’s not.

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