The Iraq Example

Wow. In his speech on the Middle East, President Obama lauded Iraq as an example of people choosing democracy!

I'd like to quibble with the President's statement that Iraq is a warning that changing a regime to create democracy is difficult and so only to be embarked on with careful thought, essentially. The fact is, regime change was easy. Rebuilding Iraq from Saddam's rule (not from our invasion of 2003, which avoided damaging infrastructure) would have been expensive but doable. Even Baathist resistance likely would have been ground out as 2004 proceeded.

The problems that made Iraq an expensive project were that Syria and Iran essentially declared war on the new Iraq and America. Iran armed and supported Shia thugs while Syria enabled al Qaeda to invade Iraq and hosted Iraqi Baathists. Worse, we let them get away with declaring war on us.

Still, having Iraq held up as an example of a better path is a great moment in American Middle East policy.

UPDATE: Funny, he doesn't look Neoconish.