What Went Wrong

Barbara Lerner of NRO has a pretty sound damning of the post-war occupation, and, in so doing, makes me wonder if the old spoils system of federal government didn't have it's good parts.


For starters, Lerner points out that Rumsfeld had both a larger role intended for Iraqis during the war and a much simpler interim government afterwards: both involving the INC and Ahmed Chalabi. Neither happened because State and CIA balked. Instead, the handover was put off for a year, and involves a largely faceless Iraqi Governing Council. Constitution aside, I don't think that the Iraqis believe that they're governing themselves, and that may not be helping.


And now we're going to the UN. That can't make things better.


I keep hoping that the adminstration has another surprise in their pocket, that they've got a new campaign in mind or a new front to open up in the WoT. I'm starting to wonder if they've become too reactive, too soft. I'm not the only one that thinks so. Is further bureaucritization really what we want to see happen? Can we afford to allow Iraq to become the next Kosovo?


George, Kerry's behind you in the polls. There's no reason to start imitating him.




Good God, that's three war posts in a row. I'm just chickenhawking it all over the place...