Just another day in the life and death of Iraq III

Rummy and Condi went to Baghdad to support new Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's efforts to form a government, but the news still wasn't good: "A sister of Iraq's new Sunni Arab Vice-President was killed Thursday in a drive-by shooting in Baghdad, a day after the politician called for the Sunni-dominated insurgency to be crushed by force." Her bodyguard was also killed.

Nor was it good for two members of the so-called Coalition of the Willing: "In southern Iraq, a bomb hit an Italian military convoy [yesterday] morning, killing four soldiers -- three Italians and a Romanian -- and seriously injuring another passenger."

I wonder if Rummy and Condi have any clue. No... I don't. Rummy in particular seems disturbingly delusional. Here's the Post: "One purpose of this joint trip was to get the sometimes conflicting military and political operations in sync for the transition to a permanent Iraqi government." Okay, and all the violence? "Asked how the Iraqi government should eliminate the militias that have terrorized the populace, Rumsfeld appeared to suggest it was a relatively easy task." Right. I'm sure it's like -- oh, I don't know -- brushing your teeth. Sistani may be urging Maliki to deal forcefully with the militias, but the violence, the new normal, isn't about to go away anytime soon.

Do you understand that, dearest Secretaries?