The "strategy" document for Iraq.

The Washington Post provides highlights:

"No war has ever been won on a timetable and neither will this one," said the document. "But lack of a timetable does not mean our posture in Iraq (both military and civilian) will remain static over time."

Wars have most certainly been lost for not adhering to timetables; World War I would have been lost had defenses against the Germans not adhered to their timetables, and most notably Germany, in invading Russia too late in the year- violating its timetable- got trounced by General Winter.

The report says the administration expects the number of U.S. forces in Iraq -- currently about 160,000 -- will decrease over the next year as the "political process advances and Iraqi security forces grow and gain experience."

So basically they're going to pull out, but not say so. Unless they don't.

"Failure is not an option," the document said, citing three principal reasons: Iraq would become a safe haven for terrorists, Middle East reformers would never trust U.S. resolve again, and the ensuing tribal and sectarian chaos in Iraq would have major consequences for U.S. interests in the region.

Can we be spared the clichés? "Middle East reformers" haven't trusted the US for decades. "Sectarian chaos" isn't going to be helped by the US presence, and, as I've already noted, our "interests," that is "oil" will only reliably flow when we're outta there.

"It is not realistic to expect a fully functioning democracy, able to defeat its enemies and peacefully reconcile generational grievances, to be in place less than three years after Saddam was finally removed from power," the report said.

Are they talking about the US or Iraq? I keep forgetting.

The report identified the "enemy" in Iraq as "diffuse and sophisticated" and a combination of Iraqis who reject democratic reforms, Saddam loyalists and al-Qaeda inspired terrorists.

What about people who've been screwed by circumstances? Whose families have become "collateral damage?"

The bad news is that this is more of the same. The good news is that hopefully these disastrous policies will be associated with the conservatives. But meanwhile, more death and destruction.