...but I am saying the Bush administration miscalculated and the resulting foreign policy implications are significantly contrary to our long term national interests. Now it is even harder for us to convince Iran to put away its nuclear toys. Keep in mind that the ruling islamic fundamentalists who will now run Iraq will be producing the constitution that will serve the country for decades to come.

The war in Iraq, has been a foolhardy adventure from the very beginning. It has cost us American lives, hundreds of billions of dollars and our international credibility and influence. We have depleted our capacity to respond to any other world crisis. We are certainly in no shape to militarily to convince Iran or North Korea to stop building nukes. And, that job just got a lot harder. We have created what will be another islamic fundamentalist government in a country that once held a secularist tradition.

I've said from the beginning that going to pre-emptive war in Iraq was bad policy and not in America's long term best interests. While the exercise in democracy is exhilarating, I am certain that the euphoria stateside will not last long as Sistani and Talabani buddy up with mullahs of Iran.