Will Americans say enough?

Iraq death count at 655,000; no end in sight

LONDON (Reuters) - American and Iraqi public health experts have calculated that about 655,000 Iraqis have died as a result of the March 2003 U.S.-led invasion and subsequent violence, far above previous estimates.

That means 2.5 percent of the Iraqi population have died because of the invasion and ensuing strife.... (2.5 percent of the US population is 5 million men, women and children.)

Deaths were confirmed in 92 percent of cases with a death certificate. In about half of the households which reported a death there was uncertainty about who was responsible. - Reuters, Oct. 11, 2006

Is it any wonder the Iraqi people want the US out of their country? Is it any wonder the world distrusts George W. Bush?

But, but, but -- Saddam Hussein is an evil man... mushroom clouds... weapons of mass destruction... shock and awe... mission accomplished... renditions... last throes... we'll stand down when they stand up... fight'em there so we don't have to fight'em here... stay the course, or cut and run and they will follow.

Slogans. Lies. "Quaint" Geneva Conventions. Questions are unacceptable. Disagreement is unpatriotic. Habeas what?

The old Bush-Cheney wardrobe is wearing thin. Time for Republicans to roll out a new fashion line for the election season:

"In two or three months, if this thing hasn't come to fruition and this level of violence is not under control, I think it's a responsibility of our government to determine: Is there a change of course we should take?" - Sen. John Warner, Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"There are alternatives between ... stay the course and cut and run." - James Baker III, charging to the rescue. Again.

How reasonable... responsible... measured. So sparkly fresh. Just the thing to build suspense for the new wardrobe hitting runways after November 7.

If you buy the promise, sight unseen, vote for more of the same. If you've seen enough already, vote for change.