Here’s an e-mail from a dismayed friend in Washington who follows the Iraq debate closely:

If you’re going to hire someone for this position, someone who needs to bang heads together and make people do things they don’t want to (otherwise why fill the position?), then you need someone who has fire in his belly for the plan. Lute clearly does not. Why would you choose someone like that? Why would you choose someone who has never served in Iraq or Afghanistan? Who has never held a division command? Who has no experience at all in the interagency process? If you were to list people unqualified for this position, Lute’s name would be high on the list. His only relevant experience is his time watching the war from Tampa. Who sets the strategy in this administration? The president or his underlings? Because he’s been saying one thing and the SecDef has been saying the opposite since he was appointed. Because he’s allowed his staff to hire someone known to oppose the strategy he selected and announced. Because the Secretary of State can’t be bothered to support the effort with resources. Because the US Mission in Iraq sees its role as transitioning to a normal embassy (that from someone who’ll be Satterfield’s deputy—no kidding, you can’t make this stuff up). Who runs the government, Mr. President? Is it possible they really are laying groundwork for a deal with Congress in the fall to “Vietnamize”? Maybe fears will prove groundless….but this administration doesn’t make it easy to help it.