Speaking of those elections

Serious questions have been raised not only about the possibility of holding the Iraqi elections scheduled for January but of what legitimacy they'd be seen to have if they do take place. One serious problem in that regard is the areas under control of insurgents: Elections that do not include such areas, particularly the so-called Sunni Triangle, could well

"open wounds rather than heal them," said Ghassan al-Atiyyah, the director of the Iraqi Foundation for Development and Democracy, an independent governance group here [in Baghdad].

So what's the answer? It's obvious.

Faced with a growing insurgency and a January deadline for national elections, American commanders in Iraq say they are preparing operations to open up rebel-held areas, especially Falluja, the restive city west of Baghdad now under control of insurgents and Islamist groups.

A senior American commander said the military intended to take back Falluja and other rebel areas by year's end. ...

The American commander suggested that operations in Falluja could begin as early as November or December, the deadline the Americans have given themselves for restoring Iraqi government control across the country.

Terrific. So they get to come on all macho and gung-ho and "can-do" before the US elections while all the mess and gore and carnage gets to come after it. I don't know that the military planned it that way, but I'm damn sure I could name some people who are happy about it.