Sunday, October 31, 2004
If you've detected a recent disturbance in the force it may be because the Prince of Darkness has been sneaking out from under his rock a little lately ... just in time for Halloween.
During an appearance on Canada's Question Period a few days ago, Richard Perle said the following about the invasion of Iraq:
I think it's important to distinguish between the decision to go to war in Iraq and the execution of the war thereafter. I was indeed a strong supporter of removing Saddam Hussein from office. I was also a strong supporter of turning things over to the Iraqis immediately after the war. We didn't do that, unfortunately, and I think that has protracted the period of difficulty.
The phrase "turning things over to Iraqis" is Perle-ese for "turning things over to Ahmed Chalabi". I find it amusing that Perle didn't just say as much outright -- that he believes the US should have installed Chalabi from day one -- as Perle used to as a matter of course. For instance, in his magnum opus he wrote
But of all our mistakes, probably the most serious was our unwillingness to let the Iraqi National Congress, Iraq's leading anti-Saddam resistance movement, form a provisional government after the fall of Baghdad.
I guess times have changed.
Here's another example of the changing times in neocon land. Remember Perle's famous prediction?:
And a year from now, I'll be very surprised if there is not some grand square in Baghdad that is named after President Bush.
Well, it is now a little more than a year later, and the Prague Post has Perle's take on his previous statement. He once again insinuates that the problems in Iraq are a result of not putting Chalabi in power, without mentioning Chalabi, of course, and says that things will be better in a year:
I had predicted that by this time Iraq would look pretty good. Then we made the mistake I didn't anticipate of holding on too long to the occupation. But I think -- I should refrain from predictions -- but I think a year from now people will not be talking about a quagmire.
One wonders if there will be a grand square named after George W. Bush in a year. Maybe there'll be a grand square named after Ahmed Chalabi?
Also Hollinger International is refiling its case against Lord Black and his minions and this time has added The Prince of Darkness as a defendant. Oh yeah, and Seymour Hersh says that in the movie version of Chain of Command the part of Richard Perle should be played by Edward James Olmos because, I guess, Lionel Barrymore is dead.
