But in what way is this "news," AP?

The Associated Press unleashed this stunner yesterday:

When no weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq, Bush shifted his war justification to one of liberating Iraqis from a brutal ruler.

After Saddam's capture in December 2003, the rationale became helping to spread democracy through the Middle East. Then it was confronting terrorists in Iraq "so we do not have to face them here at home," and "making America safer," themes Bush pounds today.

"We're in the ideological struggle of the 21st century," he told a California audience this month. "It's a struggle between good and evil."

Vice President Dick Cheney takes it even further: "The hopes of the civilized world ride with us," Cheney tells audiences.

How's that for an astonishing scoop? And, not content with just one bit of brilliant reporting, they follow on with this:

[Some guy named Michael O'Hanlon, a "foreign policy scholar" at the Brookings Institution, reveals] " the war is not headed the way it should be."

Whoa. Nice scholaring there, Michael. And nice reporting, AP. Who would have guessed.

And yes I am feeling a little grumpy this morning. Deal with it.