Staggering Incompetence

I had a feeling way back when that the president's adventures in Iraq were going to end up badly, but I couldn't have anticipated the range of foulups involved.

-From Kevin Drum, we know Saddam didn't have any nukes, but he did have nuclear scientists, and our carelessness regarding these scientists has allowed them to disappear. Some, apparently, into the hands of Syria. Great.

-From Billmon, we have paved the way for Iraq to becom an Islamic theocracy. That means, most likely, a step backwards for the rights of women. It almost certainly means an Iraq no American could call "free" with a straight face. And freedom, other than hollowly invoking Sepember 11th is the only justification Bush has left for the war in Iraq.(It was called Operation Iraqi Freedom, ya know)

-Also from Billmon, not only have we prepared Iraq for a future of violence, with rival militias wearing Iraqi military uniforms gunning eachother down in the street, and most likely a civil war, but we're going to be arming these militias extremely well. Billmon describes it as "Crips and Bloods armed with tanks." I may be mistaken, but what came to my mind was post Soviet invasion Afghanistan. Kalashnikovs and Stinger missiles.

If you were trying to do everything wrong, how different from this would it look?