Well, surprise, surprise. NBC is now finally admitting the obvious: Iraq is mired in a civil war. I’m not sure exactly when this war-torn nation crossed the line from merely being occupied by an invader to being bogged down in internal strife, but that point was definitely passed some time ago. I can’t find it now, but I vaguely recall someone in our gummint saying that if Iraq descended into civil war, then it was definitely time to get the hell out of Dodge.

Yet the “cowboy” by the name of Smirk who says he makes all the decisions refuses to acknowledge the obvious, and says that we’re staying put “until the mission is complete.” Funny, that. I also seem to recall a certain banner on a ship somewhere, a banner that said, “Mission Accomplished.” That was quite some time ago, yet we still haven’t “completed” the mission. What we have completed is destroying a nation. Sure, some will say there’s “good news” and that we’re rebuilding the country, repairing damage. Sure we are– damage that we caused. Instead of investing in our own nation’s infrastructure and people, we went over there, bombed the hell out of the country, toppled its ruler, and then stayed.

Well, lemme tell you something: like houseguests, armies stink after about three days. Our troops have been over there longer than we were involved in World War II. At this stage, Smirk intends for us to be there at least through 2009, as he stated last spring. Instead of facing reality square in the face and realizing what a mess he’s made, he’s now claiming that the civil war isn’t really a “civil war;” instead, it’s an Al-Qaeda plot. Sorry, Smirk, but I don’t buy it; trotting out the Iraq-terrorist link is trying to rely on a old canard that has already been mercifully taken out behind the barn and shot some time ago.

Even though we’re supposed to gird ourselves and keep a stiff upper lip, and not question anything, it’s really hard to believe anything this gummint says anymore, on the matter of Iraq. Smirk and others have changed their rationale for this war so many times now, it’s practically become a parlor game. I fully expect to wake up tomorrow and find yet another excuse reason why it was right for us to go over there in the first place, and squander our national budget and military on warfare when there things like, oh, a country to take care of right here.

We aren’t even wanted anymore, Smirk. Back in January, Uncle Walter echoed his famous take on Vietnam, and said that we should pull out. Unlike LBJ, who had an entire brain more than you have, you have either been unwilling or unable to admit that perhaps Cronkite is right. You certainly didn’t listen to the Iraqi gummint last year; I pointed out then that the welcome mat had been pulled, and perhaps it was time to say adieu to Baghdad. It’s kind of funny too, because that nice Mr. Bremer that you gave that shiny medal to said way back in 2004 that if we were asked to leave, we’d pack our bags and head out the door– something we haven’t done regardless, obviously. If all that isn’t enough for you, the people of Iraq– you know, the ones that were supposed to be paving the way for us with cheers and flowers– have indicated in a poll that, ahem, the linens in the guest room really need to be changed, and perhaps it’s time for us to leave and go home? That certainly jibes with the view of the majority of the American public, which also thinks its time to perhaps cut things short. That seems to be the view too of your Iraq Study Panel, headed by Daddy’s good friend Mr. Baker. The New York Times will publish an article in Thursday’s edition that says this group recommends we start pulling out- oh, not overnight, no, but definitely stop sending troops over. Even your former Secretary of State suggests that perhaps you recognize it’s now a civil war, and act accordingly.

Here’s my suggestion, Junior: it’s time to put away the rose-colored glasses, and start thinking about the actual consequences of your actions, and act like a man, instead of being a stubborn, petulant child administrator who doesn’t want to have to admit that maybe Daddy was right after all for not marching off to Baghdad. Civil wars are messy, and it’s never a good idea to be in the middle of one. Let’s hope this is the last Christmas our soldiers have to spend abroad.