How does any of this help George W. Bush, whose election, it appears, turns more and more on Americans' impression of the quagmire in Iraq:
- Iraq’s Prime Minister Ayad Allawi blamed the U.S.-led coalition Tuesday for “great negligence” in the ambush that killed about 50 soldiers heading home after graduation from a U.S.-run training course, and warned of an escalation of terrorist attacks. This is the same Allawi who was installed by the U.S. and had his speech to Congress written for him by the White House communications staff!
- It somehow leaked on Capitol Hill and the Pentagon this week (and yes, it looks like Republican fingerprints) that the Bush Administration will seek another $70 billion in emergency Iraqi war aid, driving costs for the war to greater than $225 billion. Add to that more than 1,100 combat deaths. The total price tag seems awfully high for what is increasingly an obvious failure.
- U.S. forces somehow managed to allow 380 tons - yes, tons - of HMX and RDX explosives, two commonly used military explosives that can also be used to bring down airplanes or to create a trigger for nuclear weapons, to disappear in Iraq. This us up there with the FBI's failure to translate 120,000 hours of Al Qaeda audio intercepts and directly undercuts BC04's sole resonating claim in this race: that it will keep Americans safer.
Hey, undecided voters, which way you gonna break? Hey Jeff Jarvis, time to announce your endorsement. Maybe news like this why the hawkish Andrew Sullivan endorses Kerry, based on security issues.
