"We are effectively hamstrung because realities on the ground require measures we will always refuse—namely, the widespread use of lethal and brutal force." -- It's the silly season, so you may not have noticed this incendiary NYT op-ed piece, "The War As We Saw It." Written by 7 active-duty junior officers, it points out the complexity and probable futility of the Iraq war, calling out the Administration for its "surreal" cheerfulness in the face of grim reality. Could this force a tipping point, 2 weeks ahead of the Petraeus Report? Doubtful, with the White House and the media in nap mode for a few weeks...or longer, depending on your perspective.