Mark Landler, October 22, NYT.

Yes, under the heads we lose, tails they win rules the Republicans and the Right have succeeded in establishing for awhile now, when something bad, even unavoidably bad, happens in the world when a Democrat is in the White House, this is evidence of the general incompetence and dangerousness of having Democratic presidents in charge of U.S. foreign policy.  When even avoidably bad stuff happens with Republicans in the White House, this is taken as evidence of the critical importance of having strong and patriotic Republicans in power to protect us.

Heads we (or--if you are completely outside the tent these days--Democrats) lose, tails they (Republicans) win.

I am unable at the moment to think of a reason why the (final?) Iraq troop withdrawal announced the other day is not something to greet with a sigh of relief and deep appreciation for the troops who will, finally, be coming home.  One war shut down, how many does that leave to go?  Is anyone counting?  What is the definition of being in a war these days, anyway?  Swell of Karzai, Our Man in Kabul, to say the other day he'd fight at the side of Pakistan if the US and Pakistan end up at war--er, mutually engaged in armed hostilities (as opposed to now where it's just us launching drone attacks inside their territory).  So why, again, are we sending our young people off to kill and be killed there?