More stunning success

What was the latest John McCain fart-burger about Iraq on the bullshit express, oh yes...

As you know, we saw a thousand police and military desert their posts. But the rest of the military did a pretty good job, did a pretty good job. We did secure the port of Basra. Maybe I’m digging for the pony here.

Ah, yes, the rest of the Iraqi military...how's that workin' out in the real world?

A company of Iraqi soldiers abandoned their positions on Tuesday night in Sadr City, defying American soldiers who implored them to hold the line against Shiite militias.

The retreat left a crucial stretch of road on the front lines undefended for hours and led to a tense series of exchanges between American soldiers and about 50 Iraqi troops who were fleeing.

Capt. Logan Veath, a company commander in the 25th Infantry Division, pleaded with the Iraqi major who was leading his troops away from the Sadr City fight, urging him to return to the front.

“If you turn around and go back up the street those soldiers will follow you,” Captain Veath said. “If you tuck tail and cowardly run away they will follow up that way, too.”

Captain Veath’s pleas failed...

Maybe there are a few facts going on here:

1. Iraqis think the political power play amongst Shiite sects is bullshit, especially when it is aimed at the most popular one.

2. Iraqis don't appreciate being ordered around by foreign occupiers, even if #1 isn't always applicable.

3. Maybe, even if #1 and #2 are not universal, the Iraqis are NOT going to stand up until we are not there to constantly bail them out...and we always are. Whatever the training, they are treated as infants. Which cannot be good for morale.

And there's nothing inspiring about it to the people who have to listen to professional bullshit artist like Fred Kagan speak for them, while they do the fighting and the dying:

Tuesday’s desertions in Sadr City, although involving a particularly hesitant Iraqi unit, left many of the Americans soldiers wondering about the tenacity of their Iraqi allies.

“It bugs the hell out of me,” said Sgt. George Lewis, Captain Veath’s platoon sergeant in Company B, Third Platoon, First Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment. “We don’t see any progress being made at all. We hear these guys in firefights. We know if we are not up there helping these guys out we are making very little progress.”