Investigate Iraq

There is currently a commission investigating the intelligence that was presented to the White House before 9/11, and trying to determine whether or not the White House responded appropriately. Obviously, such and investigation is long overdue. It’s about time.

But there is another series of intelligence failures, disengagements, wishful thinking, and plain foolishness that has ALSO led to disaster, and nobody seems inclined to launch an official investigation. But they should.

I’m referring, of course, to Iraq.

I’m referring to this administration’s plan to rebuild the country after overthrowing the previous government.. Or, more accurately, the lack of a plan to rebuild.

There should be a major investigation into why this administration was totally unprepared for what actually happened. Because they are the only ones who were.

We aren’t talking about hindsight here. We are talking about a gross lack of foresight.

Few people doubted that we could win the war. But almost everyone who WASN’T part of the administration pointed out how difficult it would be to deal with the aftermath: occupying a country divided by tribal conflicts, ready to erupt into civil war and hating us as much as they hated Saddam Hussein.

EVERYBODY said this.

But the Bushies DIDN’T CARE. In their arrogance, they ignored all advice, pretended that they needed no help from anyone, and treated the UN and our allies with such disdain that those who were once willing to help us are now saying, “You made your bed, so lie in it.” Due to Bush's arrogance, we have lost almost all of our allies at the very time that we most need them.

The Bushies assumed that the best-case scenario would be what actually happened, and that’s all that they planned for.

But we now face the worse-case scenario: tribal factions that have hated each other for a thousand years have put aside thier differences, and are uniting against US.

And almost every one of our actions in this occupation only serves to further radicalize the Muslim world. Every day, more moderate Muslims become RADICAL Muslims in direct response to our occupation..

They rushed into Iraq heedlessly.

And hundred of Americans and thousands of Iraqis are paying the price - in blood - for George W. Bush’s damned foolishness,