This war does every goddamned thing we could ever hope for

"Democracy" in Iraq. As we've noted before, this administration will claim any good outcome from the war that the public demands. The public wants peace in the Middle East? This war will bring it about. (How about that claim? That's one concept I can't get over. Conservative pundits who have to "sell" the war on radio and TV keep going on about how Dubya Dubya III is going to "quiet" the region. Yes, I'm sure this will "settle everything down", like a cozy nappy-time blanket, making all of the religious sects and warring factions come together in peace and harmony, much like a cup of warm milk to settle their tummies. There's no way that an unprovoked US invasion of Iraq will be interpreted as an avaricious oil-grab (or even more important to the region, that we will be trying to control Iraq's water supply - one of the most important resources in that region) and stir up tensions and provoke disasters there. Nosiree.) The public wants democracy in the Middle East? This war will accomplish that, as well. And unsightly sweat stains will be a thing of the past once this war is underway.

Suppose we actually establish "democracy" in Iraq, whatever that would mean. Then, the Shiites, who are a majority in Iraq, would come to power, displacing the minority Sunnis who currently hold power. The Shiites are aligned with the Iranians. This would be a bad turn of events for the Saudis, who are Sunnis, as I understand it (that's another thing to hate about Bush - suddenly I have to learn all this stuff about the Middle East, when, like most Americans, I just want to know which episode of Seinfeld is re-running tonight). Anyway, a Shiite-controlled, "democratic" Iraq would probably be a nightmare for that region, and for our strategic interests there. What if the Shiites, who have been persecuted by the Sunnis for decades, decide to launch retribution on them? And what on earth will we do with the Kurds? They have been betrayed and attacked so many times, how will they integrate themselves into a democracy. The "plan" for democracy in Iraq is absurd on its face.

All we can hope for is a dictator who we like more. That's what all this is about, anyway. Getting OUR OWN dictator in there. But the CIA has been doing that kind of work for 60 years or more. Why not just a little covert toppling of this Iraqi government the way they did to the last Iraqi government? I guess Saddam's been a little too foxy for them.

I'm starting to hear stories about Saddam's sons and who he is planning to succeed him. I feel like I stuck in some god-awful re-telling of the Hatfields and the McCoys, with W. Hatfield a-vowin' to git them rotten McCoys, even if'n he has to destroy this country to do it.

Toronto Watch

Oh Canada!! Read these editorials and weep, America.

Bankrupting the Government Watch

Michael Kinsley on our administration, and how successful they have been in their goals for our domestic economy.

Operation Audacious Boldness Watch

Josh Marshall does some fascinating work dissecting resolution 1441 and the short history of how we got to this point.

History Watch

Here is a long article detailing what was called "Iraqgate" at the time, essentially a long list of the shameful way we had befriended and coddled Hussein all through the 80s and 90s. Remember that at one time people were actually angry about this. Now we just pretend it never happened.

More on this by Robert Parry, including some history that has gone down the memory hole.

DixieChicks Watch

They've issued an apology.