Black Hawk Down

Anti-occupation forces in Iraq are improving their ability to combat U.S. forces by using new anti-aircraft weapons in anticipation of Bush's "surge." The increased use of helicopters in Iraq is likely a result of the insurgents' success with IEDs and small arms urban guerrilla warfare. Meanwhile, Democrats in the Senate continue to debate over a resolution that will likely have little affect on the actual deployment of the troops absent the use of Congress' power of the purse. Nonetheless, it seems even this "toothless symbolic gesture" is drawing heavy criticism from the staunchest supporters of the U.S. occupation of Iraq.