The last Friedman

Oh my. A wonderfully useful shorthand for "another six months" just bit the dust. The Mustache of Freedom has finally decided that one more Friedman will change nothing, and includes himself out of the Neverland brigade:

[T]hree years of efforts to democratize Iraq are not working. That means “staying the course” is pointless, and it’s time to start thinking about Plan B — how we might disengage with the least damage possible.

…But the administration now has to admit what anyone — including myself — who believed in the importance of getting Iraq right has to admit: Whether for Bush reasons or Arab reasons, it is not happening, and we can’t throw more good lives after good lives.

Finally, the war in Iraq has so divided us at home and abroad that leaving, while bringing other problems, might also make it easier to build coalitions to deal with post-U.S. Iraq, Iran, Hezbollah and Syria. All these problems are connected. We need to deal with Iran and Syria, but from a position of strength — and that requires a broad coalition.

The longer we maintain a unilateral failing strategy in Iraq, the harder it will be to build such a coalition, and the stronger the enemies of freedom will become.

So this will most likely be the last time I can utter the rallying cry, "Not one Friedman longer!"

Friedman is still a wanker -- note the residual kool-aid effects manifested by the "enemies of freedom" recitation. And I am not holding my breath waiting for his apology for his part in getting and keeping us in this mess. But I think the short term focus should be on welcoming him back into the reality-based community.

There will be plenty of time for dragging him before the Truth Commission later.