Children Playing in the Streets = No Civil War

Ralph Peters of Real Clear Politics attempts to paint a Rumsfeldian Good News picture of Iraq in his column "Myths of Iraq". How are we supposed to take him seriously when he posits this illogical argument for the absence of a brewing civil war?

Claims of civil war. In the wake of the bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra, a flurry of sectarian attacks inspired wild media claims of a collapse into civil war. It didn't happen. Driving and walking the streets of Baghdad, I found children playing and, in most neighborhoods, business as usual. Iraq can be deadly, but, more often, it's just dreary.

What does he expect? People shuttered up in their houses quaking with fear? Yes Ralph, even in wartime, people still live their lives.

Iraq is more dreary than deadly? Tell that to the friends and relatives of the thousands of dead Iraqis. Go ahead. I dare you.

Maybe they should get real over there are Real Clear Politics. Then again, their heads might just explode.