How to best describe the situation in Iraq? Whether call it worse or a nightmare, one thing is clear that the situation is ‘irreversible.’ Iraq has surpassed every standard of cruelty, bloodshed and factionalism - this all in the name of bringing peace, stability and democracy. However, the most appalling aspect of the war has been its ever changing definition, tricky promises and President Bush’s stubbornness to embrace any of the key recommendations.

President Bush may have expressed satisfaction on Maliki’s administration and optimism over the way things have gone in Iraq ignoring the hard hitting fact mentioned by CIA Director Michael V. Hayden last year that ‘the inability of the government to govern seems irreversible‘ and that there is no ‘point to any milestone or checkpoint where we can turn this thing around.’

Needless to go in details of what caused Hayden to use such a harsh tongue to express the works and administration of Nouri al-Maliki in Iraq? The Iraqi government over the period, since it was formed in December 2005 under Maliki, has failed on many (in fact all) fronts, such as economic, offering public services, military, fostering reconciliation among different factions and so on.

Current U.S. strategy, the New Way Forward, just fails to move forward and fulfill the commitments - a democratic Iraq that can govern, defend, and sustain itself - made by both the U.S. and Iraqi Governments. While the Iraqi Government falls short of its preset objectives and failed at every step, at the same time, the US also failed to build a strong strategic partnership with the Iraqi Government, paving the way for further chaos.

Now, after four years of continuous struggle, it looks as if the US is caught in a situation from where Bush sees the (Iraq) glass half full, while others see it half empty, but the reality, as put forth by the CIA Director, shows a glass that’s bone dry. Such facts are, however, kept hidden in Bush’s dirty closet, to be revealed after precious time has lapsed. This makes one ponder that how many lies are to be witnessed before US actually starts withdrawing its troops leaving behind a mess for the future generations to clean.

Even after the CIA report last year Bush’s ‘Churchillian’ vision of ‘victory’ in Iraq never seems to make tracks. Bush’s ‘real debate’ shifts (time and again) over Iraq and Democrats too are no exception. However, as the report card on Iraq war is out and out of 18 US-set benchmarks Iraq has satisfactorily met eight, hasn’t satisfactorily met eight others and made mixed progress on two, which shifts the (relevant and most important) debate away from U.S. troop levels to one about winning and losing.

The failure and inability of the Maliki government is not a matter of concern for only the US and Iraqi administration but different people and human rights organizations across the world. For the breakdown of Iraqi government, which just appears inevitable, may prompt ethnic re-cleansing and encourage different factions for coercive reversals of ethnic cleansings, widespread in Saddam’s regime.

No doubt, at present, the chaotic situation in Iraq looks irreversible and the credit goes to Bush administration (at the forefront) and the Maliki government (at the backdrop). Iraqi government has lost its credibility, which was always at the stake since it was formed in 2005, but the conditions (present) in Iraq have hurt US, landing a jab on its credibility (worldwide) that for sure seems ‘irreversible’ as is the case with Iraq.