The leftists are generally following the path of least resistance.

Look at the track record:

"Let the UN handle it"
"Sanctions will work"
"Diplomacy is the answer"

And today the desire to pull out is part of that aversion to complex solutions. This is the result of brainwashing from our educational institutions that have elevated the UN to represent to liberals almost what the Pope does to Catholics. And with a superficial knowledge of the middle east, heck let's face it a superficial knowledge of history, avoiding conflict and letting others be hellions so long as they are out of our cozy picture frame, is par for the course.

I think you may ascribe a bit too much intelligence to the masses and yes, Kevin Drum may be a good example or Juan Cole, another. Only the deeper ones will project their enemies onto a safe substitute. The rest really are not literate enough to see the big picture of religions, demographics and shifts in governments that facilitate the decline or rise of various movements. For these folks the thought that 'Bush is a warmongering idiot' is already their deep political thought of the day.

Part of this is based upon racial discrimination. Let's face it Tom, many folks justify barbarism and violence from folks who have a certain skin color or who live in certain regions. Even among the smarter liberals the assumption goes like this:

"Of course THOSE people are violent and getting mixed up with them is a hopeless affair, YOU are to blame for being so stupid as to not realize that!"

That these same folks espouse "equality" and "diversity" as often as they use toilet paper to clean their backsides is merely the icing of hypocrisy on the cake of liberal worldview.

So Bush is to blame because he is 'white and rich', the others are blameless - or if blame must be ascribed to their actions - is much the blame and tone of blame one puts at the feet of a bad dog who has chewed up the slippers. "You are a bad dogsy wogsy..you shouldn't do that!" and then a quick harsh turn to Bush shouting, "You dumb a--hole-moron why did you leave the slippers out in the hall!"

You see this in several HZ posters all the time. They can wash away the worst atrocities from the middle east with and endless litany of justifications and the obvious low expectations that hold these peoples to a different standard, but blast with endless fury at Bush and those who support him.

So Bush ends up being blamed for many Middle Easterners ignorance, violence and what many would view as psycopathic religious fanaticism.

It's all his fault.

And when he's out of the picture these same folks will find another scapegoat and justification for letting the middle east remain a sinkhole of human development, all the while perpetuating a quiet racism and lack of real caring about other humans well being.