I think Iraq is about to completely fall apart

[mburbank]

Not that it isn't mostly fallen apart already.

Bush and Maliki's talks have been postponed by a day after a leaked memo from W's national security adviser states a total lack of confidence in Maliki. (Side note: I rarely feel this way, but I think pubishing the memo now served no legitimate news need and may end up doing some serious damage.) Shiite politicians loyal to al Sadhr are boycotting parliment because W ius meeting Maliki at all. The meeting is taking place in Jordan, and if that isn't because even the Green Zone is no longer safe, they sure managed to make it look that way.

Kissinger says Iraq can't be won militarily, the commander on the ground in Anbar province basically says we can't win there anymore and the most credible controlling political power there is Al Quaeda, but only because they are the only ones who seem to be able to make even a gesture toward prtotecting the Sunny minority there slightly, Colin Powell says it's civil war and if he were running the state department he'd reccomend they use the term (actually, if he were running the state department, I think he'd still be saying 'yes mr. Bush') and our entire government seems paralyzed awaiting the report of a commision headed by a man so totally emeshed with the Bush family he might as well BE family. And I think the mighty Baker will have a little more trouble pulling W's legacy nuts out of the fire on this one, which is a little more dicey than his last nut saving job in Florida.

I have my fingers crossed all concerned make it through this scrape and that tomorrow there is a summit, and the Shiites end their parlimentary boycott, satisfied with a gesture. I think the next 24 hours are absolutely critical.