Originally Posted by Rodney

Neither do I, and I am an American. The problems arose when the government deemphasized capturing Bin Laden in favor of using him as excuse to invade Iraq.

I realize that some in the administration thought that, by using the excuse of Bin Laden to take down a Middle Eastern dictatorship, they could directly to the source of terrorism in the Middle East by establishing a western-style democracy that would influence change in the remainder of middle eastern states, many of which sponsor or tolerate terrorists.

The problem is that the administration's plans were unrealistic in the extreme and, because they felt they had to lie to get the backing to carry them out, there could be no real debate on the issues. So these unrealistic men carried out their farfetched plans without examination from experts and people with more experience in the Middle East. And of course everything went wrong. And moreover, the people in power still refuse to admit any errors or the real reason for their actions.

Let me paraphrase somebody else: It is a poor and wretched truth that needs a bodyguard of lies for protection.