Nightmare Prediction for Iraq War

If the Republicans retain the House and Senate in the mid-terms, McCain, Warner and Pentagon hardliners will agree with Bush to send more troops to Iraq. Everyone will finally agree that we've never had enough troops there to control the country, and that rationale will be used to increase troop strength.

Rumsfeld will take the bullet for Bush (with adequate political body armor in the form of his own Medal of Freedom). A new Sec. of Defense will "reassess" our troop strength. He or she will find it inadequate, and the Generals will tell Bush "for the very first time" that they need more troops.

With elections over and Republicans safely in control, escalation, not redployment, will follow.