But losing nerve is not the only way to "not succeed." The simplest way is to have a government with no idea what it's doing that constantly makes strategic blunders. But he denies this, because failing through incompetence would be the government's fault, but if it's "loss of nerve," then it's our fault.

It's odd how some people believe the governement is so incompetent it can't even deliver the mail, but at the same time believe it will do a great job turning a severly damaged Arab nation, pinned between Iran and Syria, into a pro-American democracy. They even believed the hard part would be over in a six weeks. They had no idea what they were doing. Here are the stregic blunders.

Rumsfeld has long claimed the war cannot be lost in Iraq, but only in the US. He means that only if we Americans lose our nerve and stop supporting him, can he fail to be victorious with his high-tech army. If the war fails it's got to be our fault; it could not possibly be his.

Considering the billions of dollars and thousands of lives he's been given for a war he promised would last at most 6 months and more likely six weeks, blaming American voters seems a bit uncharitable. The country has understood what he cannot admit: that he is making things worse not better. We all want a stable democratic Iraq that poses no threat, and he could be sure of getting more treasure and lives to spend if we knew that's what they would buy. But, thanks to Rumsfeld, this is now out of the question for years to come.

1. Shock & Awe. They promised this would gain us instant respect, which was supposed to head off any insurgency.

2. Minimize troop strength. Rumsfeld fought hard for this. It's been called the worst mistake of the war. At first Rumsfeld made light of the chaos.

3. Purge the Baathists and sack the army. We are still trying to reverse this.

4. Require a constitution before giving sovereignty. Reversed June 24, 2004.

5. Require elections before the Iraqis felt ready. DIA & Maliki say divisive campaigning led to the upsurge in sectarian violence.

6. Clear, hold, build. The Kissinger-inspired White House victory plan. The prime example of this strategy was the city of Sammara. Half the population left and then insurgents blew up the Golden Mosque at its center, February 22, triggering the steepest rise in sectarian killing.

7. They stand up, we stand down. The exit strategy. Recent erruptions in the North and South were in towns where this has been tried.

8. Operation Together Forward. Announced in late July and already declared a failure. .   The ammo dump indicator.