"Peaking too soon?"

Gary Trudeau had Mark on the phone to Iraq yesterday.

Are we "supporting our troops," or are we afraid to admit that our government is one of idiots and spoilers, and that we personally share in that idiocy, but without sharing the spoils? Can we close our eyes forever?

Can a government which clearly doesn't know what it's doing long survive, at least if the people notice?

The issue of soldiers' tours [of duty] has been contentious, with troops and their families posting missives on the Internet criticizing the their government for keeping them in Iraq.

Some express concern about "mission creep," in which what begins as a swift war turns into a long-term occupation that could cause heavy American casualties as Iraqis become more and more skeptical of U.S. promises to let them govern themselves.