"The problem is not with "Democrats who thought Saddam was a problem". Hell, even I thought Saddam was a problem! The problem was with Republicans who failed to adjust policy or tactics to meet new conditions because they were so afraid they might have to admit they made a common, ordinary, easily correctable mistake. Well its too late to correct anything, now."

The US military and the State Dept are the main actors in the war in Iraq. The Congress funded and had oversight. The President led both departments. I seen very little evident of Bush micromanaging this war [there is some btw]- unlike say LBJ or Nixon. The "mistakes" of Dem and Rep PARTY has very little to do with military tactic or how the war is conducted.

The Rep party did get vote by congress to support the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and of course the Dems voted for it. I don't think this could called a mistake. Some Dems may wish they didn't vote for this, but that doesn't mean it was mistake to have this issue voted on.

"You blame Democrats who thought Saddam was a problem. You blame Democrats who never thought Saddam was a problem. You blame Democrats who changed their minds, one way or the other. The only ones you never blame are Republicans who kept right on doing the same thing year after year just because they could get away with it and because they didn't want to admit they were wrong. The Right never altered it's tactics, it just kept altering it's reasons for using the same tactics: WMD, Al-Quaeda, Democracy, Elections, Syria, Iran, the Civil War we were trying to prevent (which didn't even supposedly exist just a few months earlier!) and so on ad nauseum."

Tom is spending time blaming the Dems, because leading dems are and have been somewhat successful in "rewrite history" in there political statement and the lack of the press nailing them for this silly attempt to misled the public.
Dems and the press have promoted the meme that Bush lied- which is not true. Instead the Dems lied and then make campaign of lying of the president lying. It's normal lefty tricks. The dems as a rule think that "of course" you lie, that is politics- that is whole sum of politics. BUT their "secret" is you never ever flatly admit you lied. So naturally they spend all their time trying to get their opponents admit they lied. Btw, you know a Dem is eating their own when they spend any time trying to get another Dems to admit they lied. They have a taboo against doing that sort of thing, and it's simply UNFAIR. Not to mention hanging together or hanging separate aspect of it.

The Dems as a rule think Reps are idiots [and extremely dangerous] for not lying. And Europeans think American are idiots because Americans want to be happy and are generally happy. A gifted liar is precious quality for Dem pol. A hopeless depressed psychopath is a font of wisdom for the Europeans.
Oh, and for me making these types of generalization- sure sign of a fool according to the high priests of truth.

"I don't even blame Bush any more. He obviously is so ideologically motivated that as wrong as he may be, he can't be blamed for anything except being mistaken. But the supporters who continue the litany of excuses, the finger pointing and the blame of everyone else, what is it that they feel is so bloody important that they have to have their way no matter what happens?"

What do you exactly mean by "ideologically motivated".

Would the idea that America is a great nation or that free enterprise is part of what makes America a great nation, be "PART" of what you mean by "ideologically motivated"? Or you referring to some religious conviction. Or is the "ideologically motivation" to do with some foreign policy "ideology". Or is it a hopeless ball of all the above?
I would like it if you could point one aspect which you find the most problematic for you.
But even if you can't do this, I think you have to admit that Bush has been consistent and that he was re-elected by the American people.
Now, I would admit that had the Dems pick someone who a better than Kerry, Bush probably would not now be president.