What went wrong in Iraq and why.

[Hamlette]

I just finished reading Woodward's book, State of Denial.

The most interesting (and new) information is about the fight inside the administration over how to run the war.

Rumsfeld believes the Iraqi run government can only learn how to govern by making mistakes and having to deal with them. He and Condi and others used the analogy of learning to ride a bike. Rummy said you have to take of the training wheels (US military help) and let them fail or you'll have a 40 year old democracy (like adult) who can't ride a bike (run a country.) Condi said you do it more slowly and keep a hand on the childs bike to help them learn to ride.

Aside from how ridiculous the analogy is (failing at riding a bike results in a scraped knee, not tens of thousands dead), it explains why the war is such a mess. Woodward talks about meetings between the two factions (with Colin early on) that turned into shouting matches needing resolution and Bush just sitting there and not picking one side or the other. Add into the mix Kissinger, fighting the last war to save his reputation, saying "you can't pull out".

Bush has lied about many things (everything?) including "I'm the decider". He can't make decisions. We need to tell Bush if he won't withdraw or set a timetable to withdraw, he needs to pick a plan, Condi's or Rummy's and just do it!

A thing to remember next time someone says "I'll surround myself with good people". Not that Bush did that, but that isn't as important as someone who can listen to both sides and make a decision. It isn't about experience as someone reminded us today, Lincoln had none.

[BlueManDude]

1. There's really no good way to lie yourself into occupying another country

[unblock]

2. exactly. if you do a "preemptive attack", you DAMN well better be right!

[BlueManDude]

4. I call bullshit on those who say "I supported the invasion but...

...it was badly botched by the Bush Administration."

The invasion of Iraq could never have succeeded.

[twilight_sailing]

3. "I'll surround myself with good people"

In 2000 that's what my Republican friends and relatives told me when I pointed out that Bush was obviously not the smartest guy ever to run for President. They told me he'd get lots of smart people to help him govern.

Hmmm.... how did that turn out? ;)

[lectrobyte]

5. I was somewhat disinterested in politics in 2000, but I had my first

"oh shit" moment when Ashcroft was announced as AG. Until that point, I'd thought this might be justa replay of the Bush I years.