Some truth from Iraq

Somehow or other, I missed this yesterday, but co-blogger Marketingace in PA brought it to my attention:

STRAIGHT TALK FROM A TOP COMMANDER IN IRAQ: In an interview with the New York Times reports, Lt. Gen. John Vines, the top U.S. operational commander in Iraq, offered a blunt assessment of the situation on the ground that contrasts with public statements offered by President Bush. While Bush has said that Iraqi security forces are confronting "militias and armed gangs," Vines warned that the security forces themselves could be turning into such armed gangs and "militias for hire." Vines cautioned that if the Iraqi ministries "don't produce enough income to support their security forces, members of those forces could turn to ulterior purposes and could become militias or armed gangs." Bush has also sought to broadly categorize the election results as being successful, saying that "when 70 percent of the people show up to vote, that's a good sign." Vines, however, offered a deeper analysis: "The vote is reported to be primarily along sectarian lines, which is not particularly heartening."

I wonder how long Vines will last.