Shameless

Bremer and Powell tell the world we'll leave Iraq if the Iraqis want us to, then Bush says we'll stay put regardless, but Powell doesn't see the contradiction, because he's sure they won't want us to.

And what makes him so sure? Well, some hapless staffer let the pathetic hack stay on the record long enough to spill the beans.

Offering a new apology for the prisoner abuse, Powell said in neighboring Jordan: "Everybody says we should return sovereignty to the Iraqi people so that it no longer looks like an occupation. That's exactly what we are trying to do."

Not that it won't be an occupation, because, of course, it will be. So that it won't look like an occupation.

Whatever else you say about Powell, he's a careful man, and when left to his own devices he carefully measures his words. I think his meaning here is abundantly clear.

Where was Emily when he needed her?