Study This!

The Iraq Study Group, which sounds all the world like a "break out" group from the last "Middle East and You" Conference, is a total and complete sham. Like most blue-ribbon panels, its intent is not to clarify issues and solve problems, but to quiet the rabble and give political cover to the Administration. I just hope most American's can see through the window dressing and into the smoky back room.

The concept is this; The ISG is bipartisan. They will agree that some sort of phased withdrawl from the quagmire is necessary. This will happen, in some manner, before the 2008 election cycle kicks into high gear.

So...GOP candidates and their lame ass, er, duck President, will be able to say; "We wanted to stay the course, but the will of the people and of the ISG had to be heeded. We didn't cut and run, we only agreed to the terms set out in this (did we mention?) BIPARTISAN group." At least that's their hope. When the Senate and House candidates start running TV ads 18 months from now, the ISG will (they hope) let them avoid another wave. Will it work? Nope. Don't think so. This war will hang around their necks like a 20-ton albatross, as well it should. No amount of stage-managing will help them.

Their goose is cooked. So is the albatross