Meanwhile, in Baghdad ...

Maybe despair brings clarity, or maybe complete failure at something you never really cared about in the first place allows a touch of honesty. Either way, for once I find myself in near total agreement with a New York Times editorial:

As everyone with a television is aware, Lebanon has just suffered through a terrible month, with more than 1,000 people killed, most of them innocent civilians. But Iraq has suffered through an even worse month. Since June, more than 3,000 Iraqis have been killed each month, and the rate continues to rise. While Lebanon is now trying to pick up the pieces, Iraq is falling apart at an accelerating pace.