Iraq: The Nightmare Continues

While we've all been distracted by Saddam's execution, the reality on the ground continues to get exponentially worse.

Bombs in Shi'ite areas kill 72 after Saddam hanged

Deadliest month for U.S. in Iraq in two years

And the US approaches a very grim milestone:

The latest deaths take the number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq since the invasion of March 2003 to 2,998...

About 90 percent of Iraqis feel the situation in the country was better before the U.S.-led invasion than it is today... and that is sadly reflected by bloggers like riverbend who has lived through the horrors.

A new US military poll shows deteriorating support for the war amongst the troops.

For the first time, more troops disapprove of the president’s handling of the war than approve of it. Barely one-third of service members approve of the way the president is handling the war.

When the military was feeling most optimistic about the war — in 2004 — 83 percent of poll respondents thought success in Iraq was likely. This year, that number has shrunk to 50 percent.

Only 35 percent of the military members polled this year said they approve of the way President Bush is handling the war, while 42 percent said they disapproved. The president’s approval rating among the military is only slightly higher than for the population as a whole.

The military has metaphorically deserted its commander-in-chief. What could possibly fix that? When you have lost your troops, you have lost the war.

It's all over but the withdrawal.