Democracy on the march over there, oh yeah.

I hope all you American troops over there in Iraq are enjoying yourselves because it seems you might be there a while:

A series of clashes in the last year between American and Syrian troops, including a prolonged firefight this summer that killed several Syrians, has raised the prospect that cross-border military operations may become a dangerous new front in the Iraq war, according to current and former military and government officials.

The firefight, between Army Rangers and Syrian troops along the border with Iraq, was the most serious of the conflicts with President Bashar al-Assad's forces, according to American and Syrian officials.

It illustrated the dangers facing American troops as Washington tries to apply more political and military pressure on a country that President Bush last week labeled one of the "allies of convenience" with Islamic extremists.

OK, deep breath ... we can handle this. Just one extra front, no problem.

He also named Iran.

Oh, fuck.