"Iraq's elite Republican Guard is doing so badly they're changing their name to the Democratic Guard"

In this quote, David Letterman is making an ironical comment about the state of the Iraqi military. He is suggesting that the elite Republican Guard, which is supposed to be the greatest and most experienced system, is carrying out improperly. The truth that they are changing their name to the Democratic Guard suggests that they are trying to distance themselves from their previous failures and possibly attempting to appeal to a various political ideology. Letterman's use of humor highlights the absurdity of the scenario and the irony of a military unit altering their name in the midst of a war. Overall, the quote highlights the incompetence and desperation of the Iraqi military.