The scramble to blame and deny

UPI -- In our multi-part assessment of the looming conflict "Will Iraq Fight?" published earlier this month before hostilities started, we warned that the overwhelming likelihood was that indeed it would, and that the expected popular uprisings and mass army defections would almost certainly not come about.

We also predicted that Iraq's Army, far from being the incompetent joke that was almost universally confidently expected, would show a formidable level of tactical ability, professional skill, bravery, coherence and sheer effective ruthlessness.

It gives us no joy to have already been proven right.

Little heed was given to the warnings as a spin game was mounted by Republican conservatives and the adminiostration.