Make History. Rinse. Repeat.

Rumsfeld Strikes Back at Critics of U.S. Effort on Terror

With costs and casualties rising in the war on terrorism, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld struck back today at the administration's widening circle of critics, saying they were complicating an already difficult task.

This is where I snidely say, "shoulda thought about some of this stuff BEFORE invading, guys."*

Mr. Rumsfeld did not mention any of the domestic critics by name. But he suggested that those who have been critical of the administration’s handling of the war in Iraq and its aftermath might be encouraging American foes to believe that the United States might one day walk away from the effort, as it has in past conflicts.

Sorry to be so relentlessly logical, but...if my country's done it in the past, isn't that a reasonable expectation then? For a foe OR ally.

One of the most sensitive issues still outstanding for the administration is the American failure to date to produce evidence that Iraq was producing illicit weapons, something that Mr. Bush, Mr. Rumsfeld and other top officials cited as one of the main reasons for going to war.

And, on an unrelated matter, but apropos when talking about the Bush administration:

One can’t be a blogger for long before being reminded of the sad truth that people tend to believe information that is congenial to their interests and disbelieve that which isn’t.

from the gang over at Crooked Timber, a blog worthy of your note.

[*] Really. That's a whole 'nother theme. I get the idea that Bush, et al, believed all they had to do was eliminate Saddam, and *poof*, magically, Iraq would be 'fixed' (translation: just like us, only browner and offering low rates on oil). Is there a expert on Islam in the house? On the Middle East in general? Evidently not.