Righting Wrongs on Iraq
There’s a lot of breast-beating in the blogosphere this past week about how many were wrong about the war in Iraq, and why. I especially appreciated John Cole’s candid and honest confession:
I thought I would list what I got wrong:
Everything.
And I don’t say that to provide people with an easy way to beat up on me, but I do sort of have to face facts. I was wrong about everything.
I was wrong about the Doctrine of Pre-emptive warfare.
I was wrong about Iraq possessing WMD.
I was wrong about Scott Ritter and the inspections.
I was wrong about the UN involvement in weapons inspections.
I was wrong about the containment sanctions.
I was wrong about the broader impact of the war on the Middle East.
I was wrong about this making us more safe.
I was wrong about the number of troops needed to stabilize Iraq.
I was wrong when I stated this administration had a clear plan for the aftermath.
I was wrong about securing the ammunition dumps.
I was wrong about the ease of bringing democracy to the Middle East.
I was wrong about dissolving the Iraqi army.
I was wrong about the looting being unimportant.
I was wrong that Bush/Cheney were competent.
I was wrong that we would be greeted as liberators.
I was wrong to make fun of the anti-war protestors.
I was wrong not to trust the dirty smelly hippies.I mean, I could go down the list and continue on, but you get the point. I was wrong about EVERY. GOD. DAMNED. THING.
The only redemptive path we (and they) have to follow is this one: Having been wrong about Iraq, it’s time to remedy that and in the process, keep our hands and arms off Iran.
While thinking about how best to extricate ourselves from this madness, keep the words “humanitarian aid” in the front of your brains, while musing on “rebuilding infrastructure”. Not just in Iraq, but also Afghanistan. Yes, Afghanistan’s infrastructure is a large part of the reason Al Qaeda has flourished there. Obliterated by the Soviets before their withdrawal in 1989, a large sucking sound was left when they left. And the Clinton administration ignored the opportunity to go there, help rebuild the country by rebuilding the infrastructure, instead choosing to lay the foundation to try and force a Unocal-owned oil pipeline to cut through their country into Pakistan.
This was the beginning. Those rebels we armed, trained and funded to fight the Soviets grew up and raised a generation just like them, only angrier. Still we ignored them, and they grew up into the Taliban, who in turn embraced Al Qaeda as their brother. Enemies of enemies became friends, just as we made friends of our enemies’ enemies. Twisted.
True repentance, true rightings after being wrong, will be done with diplomats and infrastructure. Don’t be wrong twice.