It’s funny. Our gummint, and Smirk, in particular, claim that we are “guests” (*guffaw*) in Iraq, and that if we are ever asked to leave, we’ll immediately do so. This is a claim people have made in the past, including Bremer, back in 2004.

To wit:

“If the provisional government asks us to leave we will leave,” Bremer said, referring to an Iraqi administration due to take power June 30 [2004]. “I don’t think that will happen, but obviously we don’t stay in countries where we’re not welcome.”

It’s over three years later, and we’ve definitely overstayed our welcome. A year after Bremer’s statement, a number of deputies in the Iraqi government asked the United States and its “coalition” to leave the country. I noted the story at the time, observed that the welcome mat had been pulled, and thought it might be a good idea to exit, stage right, as quickly as possible. I also noted then that “…it’s pretty clear the country is heading towards civil war, if it’s not there already.”

Well, the country’s in a civil war, gang. They’re content to sit and wait us out. The moment we leave, whether it’s tomorrow or ten years from now, they’ll pounce on each other– each side believes it’s in the right and will triumph. Whatever happens in Iraq then will be ten times as ugly as it is now. But there’s no real purpose in our staying; if we stay, we continue to be the target for both sides, who simply want us to get the hell out of the way so they can have the *real* war.

Yet, we’re still there. Just a few days ago, we were asked again, this time by the Iraqi Prime Minister, to leave the country. Oh, maybe not in so blunt terms, but the intent was fairly clear:

“We say in full confidence that we are able, God willing, to take the responsibility completely in running the security file if the international forces withdraw at any time they want,” he [PM Maliki] said.

That’s pretty clear to me. It’s a polite way of saying, “Leave already.”

Yet our gummint (or more accurately, the Republicans still clinging to Smirk) doesn’t seem to understand. I think the problem may be that the Iraqis are using diplomatic language. They need to get a children’s author– say, the crew that wrote the textbook containing “The Pet Goat” (aka “My Pet Goat”)– to sit down and write a nice letter, in simple words and pictures, telling Smirk and his buddies that IT’S TIME TO GET THE HELL OUT OF IRAQ.

As I write this, the Democrats, who seem to have finally found something resembling a spine, have forced the Republicans to face the specter of having to filibuster. Yep, Congress is following a grand old summer-time tradition– an all-night campout. Unlike the Boy Scouts though, their tent was completed sometime around the mid-19th century, and has tons of stuff, including plush chairs, sparking clean restrooms, and lovely hideaway nooks. Nearby, they’ve got a wonderful cafeteria, a cushy gym, and even an underground subway.

It’ll be interesting to see how this turns out come morning. The last time the GOP actually filibustered was in 1964, in opposition to the Civil Rights Act. Now they’re obstructing an end to this war– a war, that along with our expedition in Afghanistan, is costing us $12 billion a month, has resulted in tens of thousands dead, thousands wounded, a nation’s infrastructure destroyed, an emerging generation of enemies (all those kids with dead and injured parents, uncles, grandparents, cousins, brothers, and sisters aren’t going to forget us anytime soon… if this kind of thing happened here, would you?), and helped spark a civil war. Something tells me the Republicans aren’t going to be remembered kindly by history for being obstructionists right now.

Let’s sum this up a bit: short version– Congress, the welcome mat’s been pulled– again. It’s time to get out.