From Holden:

Earlier today I linked to a story about the Interim Government of Iraq’s announcement that it would seal the country’s borders for the Jan. 30 election.

Now, some might wonder how the Iraqi’s are going to seal a border that the U.S. military has been unable to secure for nearly two years. But let’s be fair and look at the state of our efforts to secure those borders.

First, let’s take a look at the brave Iraqi soldiers we’ve trained for border security.

A force of about 500 Iraqis patrols this area of the border. Overseen by U.S. Marines, the Iraqis call themselves the “Desert Wolves.” Many are former soldiers from Saddam Hussein’s regime and most are recruited from Tikrit (Saddam’s hometown), Samarra and Baghdad.

Gee, we recuited the “Desert Wolves” [side note: I hear Denny Hastert is also known as the “Dessert Wolf”] from Tikrit, Samarra and Baghdad but we’re still seeing insugents cross the border at will? Who’da thunk it?

What else is the military doing with your tax dollars to reinforce the Iraqi border?

The U.S. military is also supervising a complex of 32 forts being built along the borders with Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria. The Marines move the Iraqis into them as quickly as possible, because in the past the forts have been looted and destroyed before they could be manned.

Ya’ know, Saudi Arabia and Jordan are supposed to be two of our biggest allies in the region. Don’t you think they could help out a bit from their side? And who do you think is winning this struggle for border security anyway, the side that is building 32 forts or the side that can loot and destroy new forts before they are manned?

This is all so gloomy, the kind of news Dear Leader would not allow to be utterred in his presence. Certainly we’re doing something right?

At one outpost in the so-called “Triangle,” where Iraq’s border meets Syria and Jordan, 50 Iraqis are manning a fort, still under construction. It sits so close to the border, Syrian soldiers are clearly visible, and come out to watch, as a convoy of Marines heads to the fort to check on the progress of the Iraqis. When the Marines arrive, the Iraqi commander asks for kerosene (for heating) and drinking water.

U.S. military officials admit supplying these outposts will be difficult and they’re working with the Iraqi government to speed up deliveries. Logistics will continue to be a problem as more of the forts are built and manned.

No kerosene or drinking water?! That sounds like a catatrophic success to me.