Let the victory dances begin. Let ululations ring out across the land, from sea to shining sea.

War is good and great and glorious.

And let us all hail our conquering emperor, George the Bush, who has these inspiring words for us at this pivotal moment in our history as one nation before God:

Bringing Saddam Hussein to justice will not end the violence in Iraq, but it is an important milestone on Iraq’s course to becoming a democracy that can govern, sustain, and defend itself, and be an ally in the War on Terror.

Bush, as usual, is too modest and too laconic. He said too little, and left worlds unsaid. And what he said does not, as usual, comport uniquely with the truth.

Hanging Saddam by the neck will not end the violence in Iraq. It will not help Iraq govern itself. Or sustain itself. Or defend itself. It will not help it be an Ally in the War on Terror (bonus capitalization supplied free of charge by 1115). It will not help us here or there. It will not help us anywhere.

And 70% of Americans are still going: “I do not like it, George-I-Am!”

But what the heck! 30% of Americans — or some subset thereof — are dancing the victory dances and doing their best imitation of a ululation.

We have taken this Ruthless Dictator who Tyrannized his own people (as countless ruthless dictators have before him, and since, without discommoding us greatly), and we have Brought the Bastard Down. This ruthless dictator who was evil-incarnate, even if he possessed no WMDs or posed no threat (immediate or otherwise) to America, has been Extinguished. And 3,000 Americans killed (give or take) plus tens of thousands of Americans maimed for life is surely a small price to pay for this Great Victory? Here clearly is a Mission bloody Accomplished!

So let us all say yet again: War is good and great and glorious! Bush is good and great and glorious! What the heck, Rumsfeld and Cheney are good and great and glorious too.

Long live freedom! Long live democracy! Long live justice!