corrente

An editorial in Israel's newspaper of record, which got big play in the Arab world but not (I wonder why?) here:

During the first two weeks of this month, the American army committed war crimes in Falluja on a scale unprecedented for this war. According to the relatively few media reports of what took place there, some 600 Iraqis were killed during these two weeks, among them some 450 elderly people, women and children.
The sight of decapitated children, the rows of dead women and the shocking pictures of the soccer stadium that was turned into a temporary grave for hundreds of the slain - all were broadcast to the world only by the Al Jazeera network. During the operation in Falluja, according to the organization Doctors Without Borders, U.S. Marines even occupied the hospitals and prevented hundreds of the wounded from receiving medical treatment. Snipers fired from the rooftops at anyone who tried to approach.

This was a retaliatory operation, carried out by the Marines, accompanied by F-16 fighter planes and assault helicopters, under the code name "Vigilant Resolve." It was revenge for the killing of four American security guards on March 31.

Is the occupation of Iraq hindering terrorism, or inflaming it? Will the number of dead soldiers - in contrast to the number of Iraqi victims - prompt a reassessment? It is clear that the American war crimes will not reach the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Today, America sets the world's moral standards. It alone decides who will be judged, who is a terrorist, what is legitimate resistance to occupation, who is a religious fanatic, and who is a legitimate target for assassination. That is how four Iraqi children, who laughed at the sight of a dead American soldier, merited being killed on the spot.
(via Haaretz)

Wrong war, wrong place, wrong time, wrong strategy, wrong tactics. It's demoralizing the army. If AQ pulls a pre-election surprise, that's the opportunity cost of this adventure.

I just hope Bush hasn't pulled us all over the edge with him. It may be that a victory by Kerry in November will give the world confidence we've cut the cord on his crusade. If it doesn't, even if Kerry wins, we're going to be living in Bush's world for a long time to come.

Readers: Who has a way to get us out without making a bad situation even worse?