Might as well get comfortable

USA Today reports that Paul Wolfowitz and Marine Gen. Peter Pace, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have conceded that it's likely the American military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan will last 10 years, and cost upwards of $54 billion per year. William Nordhaus' high estimate might just come to fruition.

Meanwhile, the Guardian's Seumas Milne writes that the occupation of Iraq is "bound to get worse" until the US and British forces pull out.