It's important to understand that the unshaded world of The Right began with the Evil Empire. People forget that most of the intelligence suggested that the Soviet Union was much stronger than it was. Their economy did not function and yet we were told "They are winning, so we have to be stronger."? Was that just a rationale?

By the time the Soviets were installing sick old men, it was pretty clear something was horribly wrong. But, you wouldn't have known it from listening to America's Right. And, of course, Gorbachev came along, tried to reform, and the whole thing just collapsed. If our intelligence (and wisdom) had been greater, we might not have ended up with such an unstable beast as we now see in Putin's Russia. It's hard to do positive things with a people you refer to as 'evil'. We are in the same box with Islam.

Part of fighting the Evil Empire, of course, was building up bin Laden in Afghanistan, because he was fighting the big Double E. We played games with the Iranians to make some sort of point about Central America. Was our understanding of Communism good enough to form a reasonable policy? Some things just have to play out? Did we not believe in Capitalism, in Freedom, in Faith? Objectively, Communism was doomed. We still seem to be the only thing holding up Castro. The real threat is that China has learned to be Capitalist. Why isn't the focus there? Where were, where are, the real returns in Iraq?

The Right loves to say that Reagan brought down the Soviet Union. I think the Poles who were putting their lives on the line deserve most of the credit. When all is said and done, whatever the Iraqis salvage from their mess should be credited to them. The Right seems to like to take credit for everything good that happens in the world. I'd just like to see a better America, personally.

An excellent analysis by the always brilliant Juan Cole. He had me until the very last paragraph:

"With the war in Iraq a disaster, possible indictments looming and polls showing that 80 percent of Americans believe that revealing Plame's identity was either illegal or unethical, those dreams of world domination have crumbled to dust. "

Does Cole really think PNAC is dead? What about the current activity of the US and allies in the Security Council to impose sanctions on Syria for the death of the Lebonese Prime Minister? While the assassination should surely not go unpunished, it is also obvious that US-Syrian relations are growing chillier, and the US policy toward Syria has been directed at regime change for some time now.

I don't believe that the Bush administration has yet changed course in its plans for Iran or Syria as a result of the current scandals or public opinion.