A reader writes:
You stated that,
"We tried to construct a constitutional order [in Iraq] for a non-dictatorial, national political settlement."
We did what, exactly? Here’s what we did. We disbanded the army, throwing thousands out into the street with no pay, no pension, no way to support their families. We shut down the state-owned industries that produced goods and services basic to the national infrastructure, throwing thousands out into the street with no pay, no pension, no way to support their families. And then we expected investors to line up while we threw reconstruction dollars at Halliburton and KBR and other American firms under no-bid loopholes in U.S. Government Procurement Law. Worse still, we eviscerated the civil service by purging it of Baath party members (who wasn’t a member of the Baath Party? The cleaning crew?) thus ripping out the bare bones that would have supported the construction of constitutional order. Never mind throwing thousands out into the street with no pay, no pension, no way to support their families. We sat back while all these constitutionally and economically disenfranchised people looted what remained, said "stuff happens" and then proudly we pointed to purple fingers and claimed victory.
We burned down the house, that’s what we did.
The Dish 