A lot of the commentary criticizing the disasterous adventure in Iraq, especially in recent weeks, seems to be focusing on the instability it is creating. But one must realize that from the neocon perspective, this is success, not failure.
Much has been made recently of the Saudi Ambassador's rapid and unexpected departure this week, along with the threat of Saudi intervention in Iraq should we pull back troops and let the Shia rout the Sunni insurgency. Yes, for us in the reality based community these are terrifying developments, as thoughts of a regional war breaking out in the oil heartland rightly sends chills down our spines.
But look at all this from the Neocon perspective. Recall that these guys are basically Trotskyites, meaning that they believe in the theory of "permanent revolution". You create the conditions for chaos and unrest in order to unleash what they think is the natural order. The natural order is what he have here: a government with markets and capital open for investment by outsiders (us), controlled by a minority of elites who are basically paid off to cooperate, and possessing a shadow of democratic institutions like voting that force people to choose among competing elites. They believe that if you decapitate the old order, this is what would emerge.
When you think about it this is actually reverse Trotskyism, since the agitating for change Trotsky envisaged was from below, whereas this permanent revolution is imposed unnaturally by an outside force: us.
But if you return to the founding documents of the neocon movement, like the Clean Break memo for Israel, you see that it implies just what we are seeing now - using force to redraw the map in Israel/US interests (notably it also calls on liberalizing the Israeli economy for good measure). It is unsaid, but this naturally means chaos. Maps aren't redrawn over tea in Versaille (unless millions have already died in a chaotic war). You need to "crack some eggs" as the euphemism goes.
And why not? The wealthy, pampered neocons aren't going to suffer. Take a look at the tanned and rested Ken Adleman, sitting on his perch in Aspen, asking us to forget everything he was so wrong about (or lied about - these guys knew it might be very bad), and to seek his sage counsel once more.
It looks to me like the Decider has bought this idea lock stock and barrel and now holds it as a matter of faith similar to his love for his favorite philosopher, Jesus. Who, as I recall, saw things a little differently.