So Low That You Can't Really Call Them Expectations

According to our British allies, here's what the White House now hopes for.

The Guardian quotes an unnamed source in the Foreign Office: "Before the war, Washington saw Iraq not only as a likely beacon for democracy but also as potentially a stable source of oil and a well-positioned strategic base. Reflecting lowered expectations, the source said the priority for withdrawal was merely that George Bush is not seen to have failed."

At last, a realistic priority. Maybe you could put him in a flight suit on the last retreating aircraft carrier, with the words "Mission Accomplished" on a glorious banner behind him. Just a thought.