Friedman Unit

Fred Kaplan at Slate has an interesting article about the all important next six months in Iraq. The article starts with a crack on Thomas Friedman that really hits the nail on the head. He might be right this time, though:

"Thomas Friedman has been lambasted for writing way too many times (at least 14 times from late 2003 to mid-2006) that "the next six months" will determine the future of Iraq. The waggish blogger Atrios, who first cataloged this habit, coined the term "Friedman Unit," defined as six months in the future.

That said, the next six months might really be the decisive six months in the course of this war—and, as much as recent trends seem hopeful, the long-term prognosis, alas, doesn't."