Sadly, it comes as no great surprise that the GOP leadership in Congress would turn a blind eye to the improper, immoral, and even unlawful behavior of a fellow Republican and put their own interests (and ambitions) ahead of the interests of all others. Nonetheless, it is outrageous and unconscionable that this band of rogue elephants would maintain such selective blindness and fail to act swiftly and prudently so as to preserve the public trust and protect the young men and women gallantly serving their country.

No, I am not speaking of the Mark Foley scandal but of the war in Iraq, a boondoggle that the Republican-led Congress has knowingly permitted the Commander-in-chief to perpetrate, to the continued detriment of the troops on the ground. As of this writing, 2,736 Americans have perished in this tragic war, and, despite increasing bloodshed and strife (as reported in today’s Washington Post), no end remains in sight:

Attacks in Baghdad Kill 13 U.S. Soldiers in 3 Days

Thirteen U.S. soldiers have been killed in Baghdad since Monday, the American military reported, registering the highest three-day death toll for U.S. forces in the capital since the start of the war.

The latest losses — four soldiers who were killed at 9 a.m. Wednesday by small-arms fire — are part of a recent spike in violent attacks against U.S. forces that have claimed the lives of at least 24 soldiers and Marines in Iraq since Saturday, the military said.

The number of planted bombs is “at an all-time high,� said Maj. Gen. William B. Caldwell, a military spokesman, defying American efforts to stanch the vicious sectarian bloodshed in Baghdad that threatens to plunge the country into civil war.

“This has been a hard week for U.S. forces,� Caldwell said. “Unfortunately, as expected, attacks have steadily increased in Baghdad during these past weeks.� Independent databases showed the three-day toll for American troops to be the highest in Baghdad so far. [full text]