Training The Enemy

A soldier, unlike the president, looks at reality in Iraq:

The pivotal moment came, he says, this past February when soldiers killed a man setting a roadside bomb. When they searched the bomber’s body, they found identification showing him to be a sergeant in the Iraqi Army.

It's truly rare that a president spends taxpayers' money to train the enemy to kill U.S. troops. But Bush has pulled it off. The troops interviewd are from Delta Company, one of the toughest and amazing professionals:

"Before that fight, there were a few true believers," Captain Rogers said. "After the 29th, I don't think you'll find a true believer in this unit. They're paratroopers. There's no question they'll fulfill their mission. But they're fighting now for pride in their unit, professionalism, loyalty to their fellow soldier and chain of command."

To Sergeant O'Flarity, the Iraqi security forces are militias beholden to local leaders, not the Iraqi government. "Half of the Iraqi security forces are insurgents," he said. As for his views on the war, Sergeant O’Flarity said, "I don't believe we should be here in the middle of a civil war."

I await the usual suspects to call Sergeant O'Flarity a supporter of terrorists. He's not, of course. He's one of the soldiers we honor today - left in the lurch by his incompetent commander-in-chief. (Matt has more.)