Any reason, y'think, why high-level American officials only make "surprise" visits to Baghdad?

Mr. Powell's visit, which was unannounced and carried out under extremely tight security, was intended to highlight the progress under way in Iraq on the first anniversary of the start of the war, complementing a week of activities by President Bush and others.

Is this because our adventure in Iraq has been so successful that the Administration fears teeming, unruly mobs of flower-throwing Iraqis? Um.

More Iraqis say the United States was right than say it was wrong to lead the invasion, but by just 48 percent to 39 percent, with 13 percent expressing no opinion — hardly the unreserved welcome some U.S. policymakers had anticipated.