The dog days of summer:

What will be the public reaction if this summer:

• The Iraqi parliment takes a two-month recess beginning in July
• Bush takes a month off in August
• Violence continues to rage in Iraq
• U.S. soldiers are dying at the rate we've seen so far this year (~90/month)
• The administration tries to sell the idea that progress is being made at the political leve in Iraq - or that we're moving towards progress - or some such talk

With an absent Iraq parliment and U.S. president, how could anyone (Bush, neocons, Weekly Standard, Bill Kristol, et al) make the case that the U.S. troops are there to provide security while a lasting political arrangement is being crafted?