Of Quagmires and Liberation: Iraq and Grands Recits

For about a week now, left-wing criticism of the "War in Iraq" (granted, not a declared war, except in media coverage) has taken a peculiar, almost schizophrenic tone: "This immoral war should not be pursued any longer, and we should have taken Baghdad by now." Meanwhile, the New York Times, a useful barometer for the contemporary Left, has criticized Secretary Rumsfeld both both for sending troops to conquer Iraq, and for not sending enough troops to conquer Iraq.

Don't send any -- send more -- don't do it -- do it better -- let's take our time -- faster, kids, faster! And that's just from the Left, folks. No wonder we're turning off our televisions and throwing away our daily papers en masse. If you're not careful, this sort of cognitive dissonance could make your head explode.

My Stupid Dog