Iraqi "Tet offensive?"

Sy Hersh, the guest on the Daily Show last night, made the speculation that a "Tet offensive" type attack was coming in Iraq. Despite being funny as hell, the Daily Show format is not really the best format for evidentiary support, so I can't really tell you how much of that statement was speculation and how much was reporting. The one piece of evidence he did cite was a pullback of the insurgents and a reduction in the number of attacks, although, honestly, my gut level impression is that that's not significantly true. He claimed that the guerillas might be preparing for a new battle of Baghdad, and that there was worry among the higher ups.

Now, Sy Hersh tends to have pretty heavy, if sporadic, sources so I can't just dismiss this out of hand, but the same "pullback scenario" might also be in preparation for the civil war that may follow the failure of the constitution talks and, in turn, the government.

But no matter how you slice it, the message is the same.

Keep your ears up and your head down, soldier boy. We want you to come home in one piece.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Three car bombs exploded near a bus station and hospital in Baghdad Wednesday, killing at least 43 people and wounding 89 in the deadliest attacks in the capital in weeks, police said. Survivors searched charred buses and cars for signs of relatives. .....

It was the deadliest series of single-day suicide bombings in Baghdad in weeks, although suicide attacks with far lower death tolls occur here regularly.

*** Comedy Central hasn't put the video up, but the Daily Show is repeated about five times today if you want to see the Hersh interview.