Inured to Tragedy

At some point, the American people have become inured to what is happening in Iraq. While much of the analogies to Vietnam that appear have to do with the battlefield itself (What, another guerrilla war?), we somehow just don't seem to give a damn anymore that people, including a lot of children, are getting killed. Furthermore, as Senator Robert Byrd points out, we are emotionally maiming battalions of our own men.

When Bush says "We are winning the battle" or, more sarcastically, "Major combat operations are over," Americans who have been raised on Tomb Raider and Mortal Kombat just watch the bodies disappear. Laura Croft is immortal.

I have a proposal for Mr. Bush. Given that there is no way that you are going to "win" in any sense of the word (please note that the Palestinians are still resisting after 57 years), why don't you just pack the bags and come home. I realize this would a) throw Iraq into Civil War and b) deprive your big contributors of their oil wells. But, hey, its the only thing that makes sense at this point. Maybe the Old Europeans will step in and help. Or the United Nations. Or even the Russians. Or, God forbid, the Chinese (they need the oil).