Ashton, you're a good man, and I thank you for posting the entries that you do. But this is a matter of simple arithmetic and mechanics. The fact is, people have 'pain thresholds' for various things in their lives. The so-called 'run-rate' (an accounting term) for fatalities in Iraq is about 70-75 per month. This rate is below the pain threshold of most people, and therefore not worth any introspection time. A run-rate of 70-75 per week (not per month) would be well above their threshold and some action would be taken. I had alluded to this in an earlier post (which I can't seem to find) and you replied, hoping that I was wrong. Sad to say, but hope doesn't come into play here.

Since the President has proclaimed that we won't leave Iraq as long as he is in office, and the next president will take at least 6 months to begin to do something about it, we have about 32 months or so left with a run-rate of 70 fatalities per month, or 2,500+. Added to our current toll of 2,800, you can expect to see about a minimum of 5,300 fatalities before this starts turnng around.

All of this talk doesn't even touch upon the 21,000 US wounded, but of course, that's another story.

Is impeachment really off the table? Yes.

My two cents, but I don't think I'm wrong.