The Square Peg and the Round Hole

Cheney in Iraq, responding to reporters' questions:

With less than a year left in office, does the Bush adminisration have a weaker hand in Baghdad than it did when Cheney last visted in May?

“I don’t feel any loss of influence,’’ Cheney said. “if anything, the successes that we've demonstrated here have given us greater credibility than would have been the case if we hadn't had the surge and the progress of the last 12, 15 months.

Now, how the Iraqis feel about us.

Thanks to Froomkin:

Gary Langer writes for ABC News on a new poll which shows Iraqis reporting improved security and economic conditions in their country. But look at the results and guess what? They overwhelmingly don't want us there anymore.

Among the findings:

* 73 percent -- including 95 percent of Sunnis -- oppose the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq.

* 61 percent say the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq is making security worse, rather than better.

* 42 percent think attacks on U.S. forces are acceptable.

* 46 percent think if American forces left, the security situation would be better, compared to 29 percent who say it would be worse.

Even offered a slew of fantasy options -- for instance, that U.S. forces should stay "until security is restored" or "until the Iraqi government is stronger" -- a plurality (38 percent) still said what they want is for U.S. forces to leave immediately.

The lack of basic comprehension on the part of the administration has been so long in our sight that it ceases to amaze. The same imbecile who insisted that the Iraqis would greet us as liberators, speaks as if he hadn't had any news whatsoever about the truth. As he insists on listening to Fox this is quite likely. It takes this degree of divorce from reality, or rejection of the truth, to make the V-P such an attraction for GoPerv audiences.

This morning, Diane posted on the V-P's unintended ironies.

The bubble is past due to burst.