Did not the Reagan Administration,in the 80's, bring together Muslim Fighters to get the Russians out of Afghanistan. They were trained in terror tactics by the C.I.A. armed and equipped,by America,and funded by the Saudi's. They were invited to the White House by Reagan, and lauded as freedom fighters etc; These are the same people now labelled as Terrorists by another Republican Administration. Oh what a tangled web we weave.

Richard Moss, Sydney, Australia

In the past 6 months 2 very important people have stated the war was all about oil, oil and more oil.
1 - the australia federal defence minister,brendon nelson, who stated "evergy security" was an important reason for staying in iraq. Mr nelson was quickly hidden from the australia public for 2 months after his comments until his comments were forgotten
2 - alan greenspan, former head of the US central bank.

how many more people with the inside knowledge need to confirm what the majority of the general public already knew from day 1 - that although saddam wasnt a good man, he wasnt as bad as bush,cheney and rumsfeld have turned out to be.

luke, perth, australia

Assume that we are attacked orn the order of 9-11 by another band of radical Islamists from country X. What do we do?
Respond? Then how? No army. No industry. No money.

Gerard Coulombe, Fairfield, CT

Excellent. The world knew Iraq had used chemical weapons on its own people but didn't do anything because at the time Iraq was a "friend". Then, when it suited us, we "invaded" Iraq on pretext of democratization. Can someone tell me why we are so keen to democratise the Middle East, but forget about despots in africa and South America? Methinks OIL may have something to do with it.

Hamad lone, ex-pat brit, Middle East

Saddam began selling his (Iraq's) oil in euros in late 2000. In fact the US bought most of it. Not generally known, especially in the United States. The 9-11 attacks occurred less than a year later. Whether or not an inside job is no longer the issue (except to the relatives, naturally). It provided the justification for the US to attack and occupy Iraq via Afghanistan. One of the first things the US did on occupying Baghdad was to switch oil sales back to dollars. Museums and hospitals were being looted, but the US military turned a blind eye. Think; protect the petrodollar and the dollar's role as the world's reserve currency. In other words, follow the money.
Iran is in the process of selling its oil in euros. The US had hoped that Iran would see the fate of Iraq and take the hint. But obviously they are slow learners, or a lot more hard-nosed than the US gave them credit for. Hence the MSM psyching up the public (mug punters) for the pending attack on Iran. Israel’s attack on Syria’s nuclear facilities has really upped the ante. On behalf of the US and Israeli governments, George Bush and Richard Cheney cordially invite you to participate in WWIII. RSVP.

Andrew Milner, Yokohama, Japan

And where is the strategy to combat ideology? Where is the commitment to that particular struggle?

Where, actually, is any commitment? No draft. No call for American industry to rev up production of armament (thousands of armored vehicles on back order?!?). No rationing. Nothing except 3,500 plus saddened families who made a commitment.

Gene Touchet, Palm Springs, California, U.S.A.

Your article is misguided if I may say so. One of the key components of the Foreign Policy is to stop proliferation in the Middle East and this includes Nuclear Proliferation.
Take a look at Google Earth Satellite and look in the Iranian Mountains and start counting the Silo's and mountain facilities.
No one wants War with Iran but you have to take a unilateral position if diplomacy in relation to Iran not dismantling their nuclear portfolio does not work.
The foreign Policy is trying to create sustainable democracies as well as to prevent a Nuclear War in the Middle East.
It is up to the Iranian regime to come clean and allow the IAEA to visit their under the mountain facilities.

The Director, LONDON, England

peter, bush is not a fundamentalist at all. he is but as much an extrimist as his purportes enemies are. somebody needs to disarm this guy of his stockpile of wmd.

goldman, london, uk

Maybe the Vice POTUS and the POTUS should get tangible success in Iraq, before embarking on another of their deadly and ill-fated adventures.

Larry Tessler, Chicago, IL

This is the most honest and intelligent assessment of the current state of US policy in the Middle East that I have seen anywhere. I am just amazed that none of the American news outlets have bothered to try some objective, clear-eyed analysis. The only question that should be in Brown's mind now, is how quickly he can detach Britain from the lunacy that Bush considers to be foreign policy. Get us out of Iraq, let the Americans bleed until they finally break, and for God's sake start building bridges to the Arab world. We might start by putting Blair on trial for misleading the nation. As for the yes-men and the Bush fanatics, let them go to Iraq. We can live without them.

Nick, London, UK

"not in his DNA to learn the lessons of the past..... and adjust" That explains why Bush is a fundamentalist Christian and doesn't believe in evolution.

Bill Peter, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Andrew Sullivan lets slip the ugly truth of a minnow pretending to be a whale.

Sullivan's cleverly crafted piece is yet another example of the contradictions that rule the thinking of those of his ilk.

Petraeus was selling the party line until he "blurted" out the truth: he hadn't really given much thought as to the impact of the war in Iraq on America's security.

The implication, of course, is that the general was dutifully echoing the party line until this collossal, telling parataxism.

A more objective observer might suggest that the General's candor at this precise moment was made with the same honesty of his previous testimony.

But, of course, that is an extremely remote possibility for those on the left: they have been enslaved and corrupted by the compulsion to see subtrefuge and conspiracy everywhere other than in their own hearts.

John Carpenter, New York , New York