Iraq...will require no precedent

The Assassin's Gate is lining up to be a must read. The first few chapters show more 2 the design of the Iraq War than simply protecting America and its strategic interests abroad. This might come as a surprise 2 many, it did 2 me. Packer writes an expose in the beginning chapters on the priorities of intellectual neo-conservatives guiding the Bush administration since 9/11. Read the first few chapters for Packer's definition of foreign policy in neo-conservative ideology, I would do it no justice here. The neo-conservative global outlook contrasts from the Clinton administration's by championing "democracy building" over "humanitarian intervention". The two are not synonymous nor are they mutually exclusive.

The neo-conservative priorities reflect a fervor of ideology we haven't seen en masse since the 1960's. The same zeal that moved our foreign policy over 40 years ago is lingering today. No movement has paused for moderation and has thus flown past or ignored facts that cost us success. Occupying and disappearing from Vietnam cost 2 many lives just like parading into Baghdad cost 2 many lives.

After only a third of the way through Packer's book I'm surprisingly convinced we have the intellectual capacity on both sides of the argument 2 disseminate the most peaceful route for Iraq. Will it be impossible 2 remove old politics?

America must create a government not threatened by the strength or resting on the weakness of others. This will require creative intellect that can only be checked by history because there is no precedent.