This particular thought has been on my mind for some time now, but I think it is particularly urgent at this moment: It is time to assign who is to blame for the fiasco in Iraq, in particular, and the disaster that is and will be the American geo-strategic position, in general. The reason? Bear with me for a moment as I draw a possible historical parallel, always a risky business as the 1939/Munich obsessed neo-cons have possibly learned.
First, it is clear to those paying attention that the situation in Iraq is now on beyond FUBAR, and is into the realm of a complete and utter disaster. It is about to tip into a total strategic defeat for the United States. If, and most likely when, we are forced to withdraw from Iraq, it is very probable that, because of the radicalizing effect it has had on Muslims around the world, it will become the largest failure of American foreign policy, dwarfing Vietnam.
Second, it is also clear that, because of our pathetic Fourth Estate, most people in the United States have almost no clue about how bad the situation really is. When the wheels finally do fall off, the reaction is likely to be complete and utter shock, fed as they are on a diet of happy talk and lies.
The historical analogy? Germany, 1918. In "The Coming of the Third Reich", Richard Evans (I think that is his name--I'm at the office) convincingly argues that the collapse of the Germany Army and surrender was a psychic shock which helped to set the tone of much of the politics of Weimar Germany--the rise and popularity of the "stab in the back" by Jews and other undesirable minorities.
What should be obvious is that the current GOP lacks anything, with very limited exceptions, resembling a commitment to truth or honor in politics. We can therefore predict that they will seek to claim that they were not responsible for the Iraq fiasco, to try to place the blame elsewhere and utilize that for their own ends. My own opinion is that they have no depths to which they will not sink. This MUST not be allowed to happen! We should all, in any way possible, place the blame where it lies--on the shoulders of the current administration. Such a course would possibly have the additional and happy effect of crushing one of the GOP's chief, if undeserved claims--that it is better at security and foreign policy issues.
Apologies for the length.