A daily read

If you don't already read Dan Froomkin's White House Briefing column regularly all I can say is this.

You should read Dan Froomkin's White House briefing column regularly.

I know, I know, it's not easy. He doesn't have a permanent URL so you have to search the front page at WashingtonPost.com.

But still, it's worth the effort.

Today's column about the fultility of a troop escalation surge is a case in point. Not only does he provide clear-eyed opinion, but links to many others of the same ilk.

Froomkin:

If the vox populi and the cognoscenti agree that throwing more American bodies at the problem will only result in more American deaths, then how is the apparent Bush plan anything short of a betrayal of the troops and an expression of contempt for the will of the people?

And is there any more plausible explanation for Bush's behavior than that he is willing to sacrifice more troops so he won't have to admit -- at least not yet -- that he made a mistake? Is that a good enough reason to ask even one more soldier to die?

And, among others, links to:

Keith Olbermann (text, video):

"Mr. Bush, your judgment about Iraq -- and now about 'sacrifice' -- is at variance with your people's, to the point of delusion.

"Your most respected generals see no value in a 'surge' -- they could not possibly see it in this madness of 'sacrifice.'

"The Iraq Study Group told you it would be a mistake.

"Perhaps dozens more have told you it would be a mistake.

"And you threw their wisdom back, until you finally heard what you wanted to hear, like some child drawing straws and then saying 'best two out of three . . . best three out of five . . . hundredth one counts.'

"Your citizens, the people for whom you work, have told you they do not want this, and moreover, they do not want you to do this.

"Yet once again, sir, you have ignored all of us. . . .

"First we sent Americans to their deaths for your lie, Mr. Bush.

"Now we are sending them to their deaths for your ego."

And Jane Smiley at Huffingtonpost.com, as well as Robert Hodierne for the Military Times.

And many more.