"because I don't think he's involved in the day-to-day ground operations, as the generals there are."
My guess is Colin Powell's fingerprints are all over this and the generals over there have their hands tied - just as they were in Viet Nam.
Remember the Citadel in Hue City? How many US Marines died because we did not (initially) allow the use of artillery and aerial ordnance against the NVA holed up there? Instead, we sent USMC riflemen to crawl along the walls, getting picked off piecemeal because this was the "holy" or "sacred" Citadel. Well, the muslims have made this so-called "holy shrine" in the holy shithole of najaf into an armed fortress - it is now a legitimate target. I am sickened by the fact that we let the ragheads dictate our tactics. Let the Marines do the job effectively and quickly - it will save American lives in the long run.
I hope you're wrong, but I fear you're right.