Besides the usual death and carnage, the other news today is that al Maliki and Bush are meeting. Interestingly, both are pretty much lame ducks with no power base. As promised, the most powerful leader in Iraq - Moqtada al Sadr - implemented the government boycott which effectively closes down the legislature. Can the government be far behind?

The Bush administration tends to blame al Maliki for the failures (as usual, anyone but Bush is at fault) when in fact, al Maliki is in the same pickle that Bush is in.

In tune with blaming al Maliki, administration officials are increasingly blaming the Iraqis. in general. This shift in attitude from "our Iraqi brothers" to "those bastards can't get it right" signals a coming end to the American occupation. Bush continues to insist on a stay-the-course approach, but I think he may be risking the support of Laura Bush and Barney at this point.

Sorry to keep posting such dour news of Iraq. I wish it weren't so and it's so sad to watch lives and treasure go down the drain while our fearless leaders come to grips with the reality. Denial is a luxurious emotion being paid for in blood.

Update: Oh my. Me thinks this is what the Saudis had to say to Cheney the other day when they "summoned" him:

Respected Saudi government adviser and security analyst Nawaf Obaid has startled many in Washington with an op-ed in the Washington Post today warning that Saudi Arabia could come to the aid of Sunni militias in Iraq should the U.S. pull out precipitously.

The piece lays out a scenario, if the U.S. did leave, in which Iranian-funded Shiite militias would essentially face off against Saudi-funded Sunni militias in a battle over Iraq’s future. Obaid also says that Saudi Arabia could move to dramatically increase oil output in an effort to cut oil prices in half, a step that would be “devastating” to Iran’s economy.

The only dire prediction that has not come to fruition regarding Iraq is the prospect of a regional religious war.

Yet.

How richly ironic the "threat" to the west is to cut oil prices in half to destroy the Iraqi government. Cheney must have felt like a guy cut in half during his meeting with the Saudis.

It's inevitable. The problem is a regional problem and it's going to require a regional solution. Hopefully a solution can be reached without warfare, but I fear not. From the U.S. standpoint the chickens come home to roost. By not making ourselves energy independent starting in the 70's, we're now vulnerable to the vagaries of the region. So be it. Perhaps the real threat to a quarter of our energy needs will finally cause Americans to take energy independence seriously.