C-ya!

After repeating the phrase "June 30th" over and over and over like some crazy homeless person talking to an imaginary friend on the street, the US government in Iraq unexpectedly handed over power two days early, followed within minutes by a sudden airlift of Viceroy Paul Bremer out of the country. The "handover," which is not really a handover at all, but simply changing the face of power from an American one to an Iraqi one (without changing where the seat of power truly lies), was performed without fanfare or ceremony. Most Iraqis were unaware of the handover until reports were broadcast on state-run media after it was over. Incoming US Ambassador John Negroponte (a familiar figure in puppet governments, having figured in several Central American coups in the 80s) arrived secretly, also well ahead of schedule.

Why was this important, "historic" handover done under cover of darkness? Take a wild guess:

The low-key handover ceremony was over before it was announced and came as a surprise to ordinary Iraqis. Its hurried and secret nature appeared to reflect fears guerrillas could stage a spectacular attack on the scheduled date of June 30.

That's how fucked up the security situation is in Iraq. Literally nothing is safe. And Bremer's quick exit is reminiscent of nothing as much as the evacuation of Saigon in 1975.

I fully expect the din of "We've handed over power, it's over, forget about Iraq" to start from the right any day now.