Bush's plan DOA

It didn't take very long for al-Maliki to give Bush's plan the finger, did it?

BAGHDAD — Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has filled the top military job in Baghdad with a virtually unknown officer chosen over the objections of U.S. and Iraqi military commanders, officials from both governments said.

Iraqi political figures said Friday that Maliki also had failed to consult the leaders of other political factions before announcing the appointment of Lt. Gen. Abud Qanbar.

The appointment is highly significant because it is Maliki's first public move after President Bush's announcement that he was sending more troops to Iraq. The prime mission of those troops is to reduce violence in Baghdad, much of which is blamed on sectarian fighters.

As the Iraqi commander for the capital, Qanbar would play a central role in that campaign, and any ties he might have to sectarian groups could undermine the new U.S. effort.

This plan is starting off really well. Nobody seems to even know which sectarian group this guy comes from.

Even though this plan is DOA, Bush is going to stick to it until every last one of the 21,000 troops he sends over there are either dead or wounded. And, when that doesn't get the job done, he'll continue to stay the course, since "losing is not an option."