Juan Cole Lays the Smack Down Intelligence, sophistication, insightful analysis; these are all qualities we shy away from on this blog [Ed: then where are the boobies?]. However, I do know quality rippings when I see them, and the suave and debonair Juan Cole (academic - Wolverine apologist) puts it to Bush and Rummy via the former's "it was a good idea in theory" speech yesterday. It must be read in its entirety to be fully appreciated but here is a sample.

"The United States has a vital national interest in the success of free institutions in Iraq as the alternative to tyranny and terrorist violence in the Middle East . . . " I've decided that what he means by "free institutions in Iraq" is actually a laissez-faire economic system where workers cannot unionize and a small class of robber barons can ride roughshod over everyone else. It is, in short, a mirror image of Texas robber baron capitalism. If democracy were at issue, Bush wouldn't have sent Jay Garner to turn Iraq over to corrupt expatriate Ahmad Chalabi. (It was only Tony Blair who saved us at least from that).