After Neoconservatism

Francis Fukuyama wrote in NYT As we approach the third anniversary of the onset of the Iraq war, it seems very unlikely that history will judge either the intervention itself or the ideas animating it kindly.

At least that is what the NYT is trying to get historians to think through its manipulation of the news.

By invading Iraq, the Bush administration created a self-fulfilling prophecy: Iraq has now replaced Afghanistan as a magnet, a training ground and an operational base for jihadist terrorists,

In Afganistan they had permanent training bases, in Iraq the training they are getting is trying to hide and not be found by the Americans AND the Iraqis seeking to kill them.

with plenty of American targets to shoot at.

But they find it a lot easier to shoot at innocent Iraqis, that don't have guns; the American soldiers shoot back.

The United States still has a chance of creating a Shiite-dominated democratic Iraq, but the new government will be very weak for years to come; the resulting power vacuum will invite outside influence from all of Iraq's neighbors, including Iran.

And they will be very good friends with America, that freed them, and we will offset the influence of countries they have fought wars against in the past.

There are clear benefits to the Iraqi people from the removal of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship,

Thanks to Bush's efforts.

and perhaps some positive spillover effects in Lebanon and Syria.

Again, thanks to Bush's efforts.

But it is very hard to see how these developments in themselves justify the blood and treasure that the United States has spent on the project to this point.

At least the Left Wing NYT hopes that is the way people will think.