David Warren : Looking Back

The Ottawa Citizen ^ | April 17, 2004 | David Warren

[quidnunc]

Does the White House acknowledge mistakes? They would be crazy to offer up talking points to the Democrats, but my impression from such contacts as I have is that senior people in the Bush administration regret a short list of tactical errors.

One of them is certainly the emphasis they placed on over-specific "WMD" charges before the invasion. But they don't regret having tried to walk their argument through the United Nations, and they remain more charitably disposed to that organization than, for instance, I am. Indeed, they are all ears for the proposals Lakhdar Brahimi, the U.N.'s point man for Iraq, has made about transitional plans to Iraqi self-government, and are acting quickly on most of them.

Other regrets are over things that were never visible to the outside world. Backstage, during the invasion and immediately after, there were all kinds of bureaucratic snafus. Moneys urgently needed for various crucial reconstruction efforts got snagged in red tape, sometimes for months. And in the heat of the invasion itself, and in its immediate wake, the administration was so sincerely convinced that it would face WMD attacks and related humanitarian crises — threats that never materialized — that their most concentrated efforts at cutting through the tape were wasted.

In particular, it now appears that systematic and quite purposeful looting by Saddamites in government ministries, in the moments after Baghdad fell, deprived the U.S. and allies of a large store of useful information. Armed with that, they could have rounded up a whole lot of bad guys a whole lot faster.

The Bush people do not acknowledge, however — I think even to themselves — their worst administrative failure. This was a State Department talking machine and a Pentagon war machine that were too often working at cross purposes. Mr. Bush, though admirably decisive (and seldom wrong) on major tactical questions, and even more on strategic (where in my opinion his vision is imperfect, but will serve), characteristically refuses to intervene in the interdepartmental stuff. But the result of that was a State Department working on one plan for Iraq's political and material reconstruction, while the Pentagon worked on another. State tends to win on diplomatic questions, the Pentagon on military, naturally enough; but in the case of Iraq the Pentagon has had clearer-sighted views in both areas — especially when it comes to distinguishing friends from enemies.

-snip-

[quidnunc]

FYI

[BfloGuy]

Please stop listing the Ottawa Citizen as the source and then linking to Warren's website.

I like Warren's writing, but I can read weblogs anytime.

I am very interested in what gets published in the mainstream press and when Warren is published in the Ottawa paper, it's big news indeed.

His writing IS important and I'm glad you point it out here. But, to be repetitive, I want to know that most of Canada reads it, too. Not just us news junkies.

[quidnunc]

BfloGuy wrote: Please stop listing the Ottawa Citizen as the source and then linking to Warren's website. I like Warren's writing, but I can read weblogs anytime. I am very interested in what gets published in the mainstream press and when Warren is published in the Ottawa paper, it's big news indeed. His writing IS important and I'm glad you point it out here. But, to be repetitive, I want to know that most of Canada reads it, too. Not just us news junkies.

Since when and by what authority were you appointed to be my posting overseer, sturmbannfuehrer?

[Tolik]

The Bush people do not acknowledge, however -- I think even to themselves -- their worst administrative failure. This was a State Department talking machine and a Pentagon war machine that were too often working at cross purposes. Mr. Bush, though admirably decisive (and seldom wrong) on major tactical questions, and even more on strategic (where in my opinion his vision is imperfect, but will serve), characteristically refuses to intervene in the interdepartmental stuff. But the result of that was a State Department working on one plan for Iraq's political and material reconstruction, while the Pentagon worked on another. State tends to win on diplomatic questions, the Pentagon on military, naturally enough; but in the case of Iraq the Pentagon has had clearer-sighted views in both areas -- especially when it comes to distinguishing friends from enemies.

If the Pentagon had had its way, the troubles encountered in places such as Fallujah and Kufa and Kut and Karbala would have been confronted earlier and more effectively. And the warning shots that were needed towards Iran, Syria, and even Saudi Arabia, as they sent their proxies across Iraq's vast frontiers, would have been delivered. "Less pain now for more pain later" might as well be the motto of the State Department, as of most foreign offices. This is all very well in peacetime, but the U.S. has been at war.

One more from David Warren - Clear-thinking Canadian -   [please freepmail me if you want or don't want to be pinged to David Warren articles]

If you want to bookmark his articles discussed at FR: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/k-davidwarren/browse

His own website: http://www.davidwarrenonline.com

His page at the Ottawa Citizen:  http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/columnists/davidwarren.html

[Tolik]

Mr. Warren is indeed the Ottawa Citizen columnist and is published there first. BUT, their website requires paid subscription. We are reading his articles with few days delay after he reprints them in his own website. See for yourself:

Monday, April 19, 2004

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David Warren

David Warren, once editor of the Idler Magazine, is widely travelled - especially in the Middle and Far East. He has been writing for the Citizen since 1996. His commentaries on international affairs appear Wednesdays & Saturdays; on Sundays he writes a general essay on the editorial page.

E-mail: dwarren@thecitizen.canwest.com

 

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[WaterDragon]

Thanks for the ping, Tolik! Warren is always interesting!

[Billthedrill]

A greater willingness to confront Iran's unpopular ayatollahs is needed, now, before they can flourish nuclear weapons.

Yep. The radicalism that stems from the Wahhabis is only one facet of Islamism. It was never as aggressive or destructive as it now is until the ayatollahs came along in 1979. We are paying in blood for the Carter administration's wavering, and there is no real end in sight as long as its current government stifles Iran.