One devastating observation after another--the General's testimony that conflicts with independent reports, the General's acknowledgment that there is no military solution to Iraq, pointing out that the benchmarks that were not met came from the Bush administration itself, the fact that southern Iraq is essentially lost, the soldiers in the fight who would disagree with the General's assessment--so many contradictions on the effectiveness of the surge, all leading up to the big question: Where is this going? Buying time for what? How much more do we invest? Crocker and Petraeus looked like roadkill afterward.

Straight to Tehran.

This whole exercise, the carefully ghostwritten reports, the fawning questions, the indignant statements by the wannabes from the loyal opposition, does not matter. It does... not... matter.

To the administration, the war in Iraq is a success, and to prosecute it an any way other than with the current "strategy" makes no sense. In fact, Iraq is yesterday's news, a mop-up operation, something for the eggheads and the career wonks and the armed forces to worry about. The full force of the mighty neocon brain trust is now focused on Iran, the next phase, the next step in the global war on who knows what. Iran is the piece of the puzzle that will transform the Middle East into Nebraska East, a place where Starbucks and Home Depot and Best Buy may build strip centers and florish in peace and prosperity. Then, and only then, will we all be safe. Oh, we may not be able to voice it for ourselves, but the administration knows that deep down in our souls we realize this. After all, we reelected them, right? To finish the job?

God help us all.