Background Check

Suddenly the Iraq Study Group is looking better and better.

In a surprise twist in the debate over Iraq, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, the soon-to-be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said he wants to see an increase of 20,000 to 30,000 U.S. troops as part of a stepped up effort to “dismantle the militias.”

The soft-spoken Texas Democrat was an early opponent of the Iraq war and voted against the October 2002 resolution authorizing President Bush to invade that country. That dovish record got prominently cited last week when Speaker designate Nancy Pelosi chose Reyes as the new head of the intelligence panel.

I truly fear "go big" is the direction we are heading.

The Reyes jaw-dropper comes to us from Newsweek. For more head-scratching commentary I send you to Kevin Drum.