THE BURNED OVER DISTRICT

And not try to defend the indefensible, because she just can't do it. The vast wrong wing noise machine has been blasting Sen Boxer for her impertinence in noticing the barren nature of Condi's loins, which so well matches the barrenness of her policy statements. As Brad Blog points out this is to distract from the real news of that encounter.

SEN. BARBARA BOXER: Do you have an estimate of the number of casualties we expect from this surge?

SEC. CONDOLEEZA RICE: No, uh, Senator...I don't think there's any way to give you such an estimate.

BOXER: Has the President, because he said 'expect more sacrifice', he must know...

RICE: Senator, I don't think that any of us, uh, have a number. That, of expected casualties. I think that people understand there is going to be violence for some time in Iraq. And that there will be more casualties and...Let me just say, you know, I fully understand the sacrifice that the American people are making and especially the sacrifice that our soldiers are making. Men and women in uniform. I...I visit them. I know what they're going through. I talk to their families. I see it. (pause) I could never...and I can never do anything to replace any of those, uh, lost, uh, men and women in uniform. Or the diplomats...

BOXER: Madame Secretary, if you please...I know you feel terrible about it. That's not the point. I was making the point as to who pays the price for your decisions. And the fact that this administration would move forward with this escalation with no clue as to the further price that we're gonna pay militarily. We certainly know the numbers. Billions of dollars that we can't spend here in this country. I find really appalling that there's not even enough time taken to figure out what the casualties would be. Thank you very much.

RICE: Senator, I think it would be highly unlikely for the military to tell the President 'We expect X number of casualties because of this augmentation of the forces' ...and again, let me just say, the President sees this as an effort to help the Iraqis with an urgent task, so that the sectarian violence in Baghdad does not outrun the political process and make it impossible to have the kind of national reconciliation that we all want to see there.[my emphasis]

As Brad rightly points out, the estimates of casualties would be high on the list of planning priorities for the planned escalation. The business of the military entails casualties on both sides and not planning for their succor and replacement would be the grossest negligence, worthy of the White House, not the Pentagon. What Condom was probably telling us was that Crazy Dick Cheney kept the estimates away from Our Dear Leader so he wouldn't break into a grin when he spoke of sacrifice.