Not Your War

I think Michael Berube says what needs to be said to the sincere liberal hawks and like Paul Berman and Tom Friedman (when he's in his "let Democracy bloom" mode instead of his "let's kick some ass to prove we can!" mode):

But isn't it looking as if this invasion and occupation is confirming precisely the "paranoia and hatred" Berman speaks of? Doesn't it seem possible that millions of Muslims, let alone the liberal democrats of the Muslim world, are going to understand American "interventions" in the Middle East in terms of the actions and statements of the Bush Administration (think Negroponte, think Sharon and his wall-- and that's just this week alone) rather than in terms of the professions of good will from a handful of hawkish liberal intellectuals?

The war and occupation are no longer some abstract idea. The cards have been played, and action has resulted in a reaction. The idea, no matter how true, that this could've been a just war with just consequences is pretty irrelevant right now. And to cling to the idea of what could have been, as if it somehow justifies the disaster that it is, is truly bizarre.