Chicago Sun Times: The War is Lost

August 26, 2007
Chicago Sun Times: The War is Lost

Bush has laid a heap of blame on ineffectual Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, a Shiite whose administration is geared to suppressing Sunnis. On Friday, al-Maliki's government suffered another hit as three cabinet members announced they were resigning. As bad as al-Maliki is, he can't be held accountable for the deep-seated divisions and deeper hatred that fuels this conflict.

With Iraq's own forces failing miserably to help establish order, the U.S. vision of a united Iraq without a dominating American presence is past the point of fading.

Having struck little but hollow notes -- after the fall of Saddam, Iraqi elections, Iraqi troop training, the initiation of the surge -- the president needs to face the music. Americans shouldn't be made to feel unpatriotic for recognizing the reality of what is happening in Iraq. The president could go a long way toward reuniting this country by admitting we've run out of options in and figuring a way out.