Muddle along, David. I can see clearly now.
New York Times Iraq reporter John Burns in an August 14 article quotes General David Petraeus on President Bush's war:
John Burns' Article on General Petraeus
"Obviously, what we’re going to try and do is win it," he says. "What we’re trying to do right now is generate enough hope to give it a chance. But the problem is, it’s likely to muddle along for quite a long time."
"MUDDLE ALONG".
It's not a stretch to interpret that General Petraeus means the war has been muddling - is muddling - and will be muddling - into a muddled future. Cool. I didn't know that muddling was a strategy taught at West Point. Did the ambitious cadet take honors in upper class muddling? Perhaps Yalie George Bush took the course as well, or was it called "obfuscating"? General Petraeus, whose West Point yearbook characterized him as "always going for it" is, through his participation, buying into a military practice he calls "muddling".
From Merriam Webster online:
Main Entry: 1. mud-dle
Pronunciation: 'm&-d&l
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): mud·dled; mud·dling /'m&d-li[ng], 'm&-d&l-i[ng]/
Etymology: probably from obsolete Dutch moddelen, from Middle Dutch, from modde mud; akin to Middle Low German mudde
transitive verb
1 : to make turbid or muddy
2 : to befog or stupefy especially with liquor
3 : to mix confusedly
4 : to make a mess of : BUNGLE
intransitive verb : to think or act in a confused aimless way
Which definition do we believe our General is using? Choose any or all, I'm sure they lead indirectly to President Bush's victory. And I'm sure the muddling strategy will make America safer from "terror". I'm sure it will lead to a democratic middle east. I'm sure muddling will prevent bloody Iraq civil war in which blood muddles with Euphrates mud.
I hope the muddling strategy inspires our troops, their families and the American people to fight and support Bush's war. And I sure hope it inspires the Republican supporters of Halliburton, Bechtel and Blackwater to keep howling about terrorists and Al Qaeda. They are profiting from the muddle with citizens' money.
Finally, I hope Democratic and Republican presidential candidates are happy to inherit the muddling strategy.
connski