The fighters from outside Iraq are there for another reason. But the insurgency of former Baathists and Iraqi Army can be quelled once their leaders are cut in. The Iranians would cut a deal as well, so the Shiites would play ball.

Right now, American policy is hostage to Halliburton.

Once you cut the Iraqis in, however, the idea that Iraq will become a democracy modeled on NeoCon deluded fantasies is completely dead, if anyone actually believed it in the first place.

I think 2008 may be just long enough for the American public to realize how insane our foreign policy is. At least I'm hoping this is true.