Dog days

So we're in countdown mode for the end of Feckless Leader's reign of error, but there is still much mischief to be accomplished even in this limited amount of time.

The accelerated destruction of Gaza is surely part of the goodbye, the Israelis wanted Iran, but will have to content themselves with their default punching bag, Hamas. Risking run ups in the price of energy at this moment might rip up the papering over of the financial and economic mess. So it looks like Iran will be Obama's problem.

Everyone's favorite war in Afghanistan garners a consensus that allows an escalation to take place without any meaningful discussion. Obama's statements and his selections for his cabinet have made him captive to the Bush administration's strategy. Surely no government in history as been as adept as this one in guaranteeing the continuation of failed policies. It's a funny kind of success, one that sets the stage for future disasters that can be blamed on the new administration. One can hardly dispute that Obama's embrace of continuity makes them his (dead) babies as well.