A principal architect of Iraq’s interim constitution, who resigned in August as one of the country’s top diplomats, has laid out a devastating critique of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and the U.S. occupation, telling NBC News that, functionally, “there is no Iraqi government.”

But, but, we've turned the corner! The surge is working! The...

We've seen this play before. The first time it was called Little Big Horn starring George Armstong Custer, the second Khartoom starring Chinese Gordon, and recently it was called Dien Bien Phu starring Henri Navarre. The reviews haven't come in yet but Petreaus has given a bravura performance so far.