What's The Frequency, Kenneth?

"What's the frequency, Kenneth?" is your Benzedrine, uh-huh
I was brain-dead, locked out, numb, not up to speed
I thought I'd pegged you an idiot's dream
--What's the....., REM

Nah, not referring to Rather...I'm asking, really, what the status of Iraq really is:

Iraqi 'militants' held after raid


US and Iraqi forces have arrested 63 suspected militants during a major security operation in central Baghdad.

Amid gun battles, they sealed off the Haifa Street area in response to mortar attacks on nearby Iraqi ministries and the US and British embassies.

Iraqi police say those held include Syrians, Lebanese and Egyptians.

During the operation, a car packed with explosives rammed a police convoy in the Rashid Street district, killing three policemen and injuring 37 people.

Earlier, American troops foiled another attack when they shot at a car containing at least one suicide bomber, who drove at their checkpoint near the River Tigris.

The US does not have the manpower to control all the cities, and Fallujah, being the major one is just anarchy as the Sunnis move in. Sammarah and a host of other smaller cities are also, apparently, in insurgent hands. Sullivan and others are speculating that a major assault right now with heavy allied casualties would not bode well for the elections, so even as Bush has said that civilian politicians should not be interfering in military operations, he might be in this instance.

Would I predict a major movement to take back these areas after the election (that looks increasingly like Bush will win)? Yes. Between November and January there will be...okay they're shutting the lab...