Arrogant and Stupid

That’s actually a pretty good description for Bushs’ little adventure in Iraq, and US foreign policy in general – arrogant and stupid.

The idea that a foreign military power could attack, invade, and occupy a country and then change it for the better using the same sort of draconian tactics that the dictator they yanked from the seat of power employed is ludicrous; yet the “what the hell went wrong and who can we blame for this mess” attitude of those who supported the plan is obvious every where you look.

According to a senior US diplomat

…..the United States had shown “arrogance” and “stupidity” in Iraq but was now ready to talk with any group except Al-Qaida in Iraq to facilitate national reconciliation.

– too late for that now, what are they going to talk about?

The list of mistakes and preconceptions that have resulted in Iraq being destroyed? The errors in judgement that have resulted in the creation of hundreds of thousands of those now homeless, displaced, orphaned, widowed, crippled, or maimed? The stupidity that saw people hauled from their beds in the middle of the night and held indefinitely without charge in various prisons and interrogation centres sprinkled around the world? The arrogance that said “we are above your law, international law, and our law”, or maybe the arrogance that says “we know what’s best for you now shut up and do what we tell you to do”?

Just exactly how do you begin that sort of discussion?

Answer, you don’t, you make a statement.

We have screwed up, we have screwed up on a scale rarely before seen, for that we owe Iraq and its’ people a debt that can never be repaid, and we are sorry.

Those responsible for the decisions that resulted in the illegal invasion and occupation of your country, the destruction of your civil infrastructure, homes, and businesses, the incarceration and indignities suffered by innocents, and the deaths of your families and friends, have been removed from power and will be dealt with by the International Court of Justice.

In the sure and certain knowledge that after we are gone you will overcome that which we have created we will now leave, and pledge to all that we will help rebuild, in a respectful and responsible manner, that which we bear responsibility for the destruction of.

It would happen, but it should.