Billmon: Throwing in the Towel

In an institution where can-do optimism is about as mandatory as patriotism, it's remarkable to hear Army generals talking like this: Military action won't end insurgency,
growing number of U.S. officers believe

"I think the more accurate way to approach this right now is to concede that ... this insurgency is not going to be settled, the terrorists and the terrorism in Iraq is not going to be settled, through military options or military operations," Brig. Gen. Donald Alston, the chief U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, said last week, in a comment that echoes what other senior officers say. "It's going to be settled in the political process."