James Fallows.
We all make mistakes. But we are talking about people in public life—writers, politicians, academics—who got the biggest strategic call in many decades completely wrong. Wrong as a matter of analysis, wrong as a matter of planning, wrong as a matter of execution, wrong in conceiving American interests in the broadest sense. None of these people did that intentionally, and many of them have honestly reflected and learned. But we now live with (and many, many people have died because of) the consequences of their gross misjudgments a dozen years ago. In the circumstances, they might have the decency to shut the hell up on this particular topic for a while. They helped create the disaster Iraqis and others are now dealing with. They have earned the right not to be listened to.
Blast from the Past. At Daily Kos on this date in 2003—It's a quagmire:
Things are going from bad to worse, and we don't even have a full-fledged guerilla war on our hands yet.
In another violence-wracked day, another US soldier was killed, while US troops shot two protesters dead.
Protesters throwing stones at military convoys. Massive crowds protesting the US occupation. Temperatures in the 110s. Out of work, desperate former Iraqi soldiers. Heavy-handed US tactics. Lack of basic services.
With these ingredients, is it really surprising that we have lost 52 soldiers since Bush's GI Joe moment on the USS Lincoln?
Update: Jesus, two more. What's distressing is that these attacks will further embolden future attacks, as the mighty, invincible American military machine exposes its weaknesses.
Against a set foe, there is little any enemy can do against US military hardware and cash. But against guerrilla fighters, our guys are nothing more than sitting ducks.
And the worst part is, we have seen NOTHING to justify this war. Not even "freedom" -- it's clear that Iraqis do not have any freedom of protest, lest they're willing to brave a facefull of bullets. Freedom to choose their own government? Not going to happen. A free press? No way.
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On
today's Kagro in the Morning show:
Greg Dworkin's Abbreviated Pundit Roundup collects the worst of the worst on Benghazi. Turns out the Affordable Care Act has acted to make care affordable. New NBC/WSJ polling.
Joan McCarter talks a little net neutrality, a little civilian prosecution of terrorism, and a little about the Cheneys shrieking about things. More on the successes racking up for the ACA. Mid-show breaking news: the DC football franchise's trademark registration is canceled! KITM free association time leads us to... discussion of serious agri-business issues in Idaho, the GOP in disarray, and Raul Labrador's utter shock at finding out that leadership is kind of hard.
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