Is Doonesbury Right?

Some of the big topics leading up to Turnover in Iraq were violence increasing, beheadings threatened, and security, or more to the point, the lack of it.

But supreme above all the details is the main assumption that Turnover is a step toward America getting out of Iraq. Not right away, of course, but eventually.

Yes, we're formulating the largest diplomatic embassy in the world in Baghdad, but still, we do intend to leave— eventually. We will keep legal custody of Saddam Hussein, but we fully intend to bring our troops back home— eventually.

Are we sure?

In yesterday's political commentary in the Doonesbury comic strip, an Iraqi remarks on the return of sovereignty. Duke ridicules him. Duke says, "Ari, the U.S. is currently building 14 permanent bases in Iraq. Does that sound like we're fixin' to hand over actual power?"

Huh. Fourteen permanent bases? Is Duke right?

I'm going to devote some time to trying to find out if that's a fact.

Brad Messer, commentary, KTSA.