September 5, 2003

  • Just wanted to point out that Josh Marshall has a great 'blog today about recent neocon foreign policy blunders:

    Realism, neo-realism, neo-conservatism, democratic internationalism, hegemonism, multilateralism. How about just this: 'Don't shoot your mouth off if you can't back it up' ...

    The various foreign policy schools each have points to recommend them. But a lot of effective statecraft comes down to grade school principles like these.

    Paul Wolfowitz may be saying that he's wanted the UN in Iraq from day one. But those of us who are still reporting from the planet Earth know this is the exact opposite of the truth.

    Stiffing the UN and threatening retaliation against key Security Council members may have been impolitic and ill-judged. But stiffing and threatening when you were going to have to come back to them six months later with hat in hand asking to get bailed out is just stupid.

    [...]