Abstract

What Have We Done?

The author argues that the war in Iraq has proven to be a costly and reckless abuse of American power that has badly damaged US security, destabilized the region and undercut America's position in the world. In the weeks leading up to the Iraq War, neoconservatives in and around the Bush Administration counseled the President against seeking a second United Nations Security Council resolution, arguing that the success of the war it was about to launch would provide legitimacy enough in the real world. Not only would the war remove a clear and present threat to US national security, it would also create irresistible pressure for democracy in the Arab world, pave the way for settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, intimidate Iran and Syria into falling in line with Washington policy and strike another blow against terrorism in that part of the world. One year later, these claims look more like fantasy than considered policy judgments. Notwithstanding the recent agreement on an interim Iraqi constitution (which left fundamental differences unresolved), the Administration still does not have a viable strategy for restoring sovereignty to the Iraqi people or for insuring their security, let alone for creating a stable democracy. Securing greater US control over the world oil supply was an unstated goal of the war, but, ironically, by setting loose destabilizing forces, this Administration has brought the world closer to a full-blown energy crisis. .