The administration told us we’d be greeted as liberators. They were wrong. They told us not to worry about looting or the sorry state of Iraq's infrastructure. They were wrong. They told us we had enough troops to provide security and stability, defeat the insurgents, guard the borders and secure the arms depots. They were wrong. They told us we could rely on exiles like Ahmed Chalabi to build political legitimacy. They were wrong. They told us we would quickly restore an Iraqi civil service to run the country and a police force and army to secure it. They were wrong. In Iraq, this administration has consistently over-promised and under-performed. This policy has been plagued by a lack of planning, an absence of candor, arrogance and outright incompetence. And the President has held no one accountable, including himself. In fact, the only officials who lost their jobs over Iraq were the ones who told the truth.
I've seen the electoral college projections. Barring a miracle, Kerry has lost this election -- and so has America. There's no claim for innocence here -- every voter who cared a whit had the evidence in front of them.
It's too bad the world has to suffer for our failings.
At least Kerry will go down swinging hard. He must feel at this point that he has nothing to lose. He may wish History to testify that he spoke truth to power.
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