Andromeda

The liberal press claims Richard Perle was forced to admit his Iraq predictions were off:

Perle was forced by one of the questioners to recast a comment he made on Sept. 22, 2003, in which he predicted that within one year, there would be "a grand square in Baghdad named for President Bush."

"I'd be a fool not to recognize that it did not happen on the schedule I had in mind," Perle said, adding that he did not deny that the administration had made mistakes in Iraq.

But, Perle added, "I will be surprised, yet again, if we do not see a square in Baghdad named after this president." He did not specify a time.

Now, sure, he'd previously said "within one year" and now he does not specify a time. And, fine, he accepts that "it did not happen on the schedule [he] had in mind." And, yes, he'd previously said "a grand square" and now it's just "a square." But what he doesn't say -- and we have no idea why not -- is that the "Adopt A Square" legislation has nearly made it through the Iraqi Parliament's Pointless Measures Committee, and George W. Bush's name is nearly at the top of the list (look, Saddam has been in this game for years, it's no surprise he got his name in the first ten slots). Nor does he reveal that Ahmed Chalabi has promised Perle personally that, once he's Prime Minister, the naming of squares after neocons will begin! (And the famous Crossed Swords Parade Grounds? Let's just say Perle has already had casts made of his forearms.)