According to Gary Younge, since yesterday American troops have been in Iraq longer than they were in the Second World War. I haven't checked his arithmetic but that sounds about right.

Younge's commentary explains why Bush and Blair will blame anyone but themselves for the consequences of their disastrous war—even its victims.

"Withdrawal, when it happens, will be welcome. But its nature and the rationale given for it are not simply issues of political point-scoring. They will lay the groundwork for what comes next for two main reasons.

"First, because, while withdrawal is a prerequisite for any lasting improvement in Iraq, it will not by itself solve the nation's considerable problems."

"Second, because unless we understand what happened in Iraq we are doomed to continue repeating these mistakes elsewhere."