A perspective on Iraq

i have refrained from posting much on iraq, other than on the downing street memo, first of all because there's plenty of stuff out there already and also, quite frankly, because it's tantamount to scratching at a scab on a rather nasty sore on my psyche... whatever our so-called "motives" were for going there in the first place, there is no doubt whatsoever that we have taken a bad situation and made it worse... my personal view is that bush deliberately used iraq as a distraction from an inability to capture bin laden and the failing u.s. economy... the facts that he could out-macho his father, depose a "bad guy," and gain control over yet more of the world supply of oil were all gravy... now, all we can do is sit and watch in horror as more lives are lost, american and iraqi, and the wonderful "flowering of democracy" in the middle east gets trampled in the dust... let's face it, folks... when it comes to iraq, we're hosed...

If the constitution is rejected, new elections will follow and the process will start all over again, which may be an attractive option for the Sunnis who feel seriously underrepresented, and for the insurgents who could see a chance to wreak more havoc.

Ironically, it may also suit the Bush Administration since it would give the United States more reason to keep its troops in Iraq. Following a dip in support for the war among Americans, some lawmakers have demanded an early exit, by the beginning of next year. The Administration has rejected this.

Even without all this, it would be hard to see whether Iraqis can ever draw up a constitution that will reconcile the positions of all groups. Unfortunately this has little to do with high-minded demands and more with a fight over the division of the spoils.

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