“The former U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq says the United States ‘paid a big price’ for not having enough troops on the ground after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s regime.” (CNN)

“Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld appeared Monday to back off earlier statements suggesting Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had links to al Qaeda.

He also conceded that U.S. intelligence was “wrong” in its conclusions that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.” (CNN) What is going on here? Is it possible that, in the aftermath of the debate, as Bush’s inability to admit his mistakes seems as if it will lose the election for him, he is sending out his minions to see how a ‘flip flop’ would play?

Oh, and: Poland (as in “Don’t forget Poland”) is pulling out of the coalition of the misbegotten.