Cheney's Iraq

Dick Cheney, in the same interview that he betrayed his offended nature at the un-PC language of Amnesty International's report, said that he still believes that the Iraq war was "the right thing" and that the Insurgency is in its "last throes." He also asserts that the war will be over in the timely fashion of 4 years time: by the time he and Bush leave office in 2009. This is much-temempered language from some of Cheney's Election comments on the war, calling it a "remarkable success story."

[Of course, there will be no negative repurcussions following the Invasion and 7 year occupation of Iraq, and the generations which endured this physical and psychological damage will be perfectly fine, bearing no resentment, etc etc etc. It also goes without saying that this is likely out of the realm of the timing that John Q Public in America thought we'd be in Iraq when we were being told we were going to Iraq in the build up to the Invasion. Remember "Major Combat has ended / Mission Accomplished?"]

Cheney seems to not believe reports that the Insurgency is, rather than dissapating, metastasizing and organizing as much against the current Iraqi government as against the American Occupiers. Apparently, Cheney thinks this will quell itself rather than take the form of the Movement that some fear that it has already begun to turn to.

Is this short-sightedness or steadfastness? Is the reluctance of The Administration to betray the Iraq Invasion based solely on thier knowledge that it will be forever pinned to their shoulders in the annals of history, and that if they, at least, if nobody else is able to, don't present a good side to it than there won't be a good side presented at all? Of course there are positive repurcussions to the war, such as the movement away from Saddam as being empowered, etc. However, it's hard to see the Invasion as having been a positive experience for anybody involved.

Things have not improved: since the Iraqis voted in their own government, violence has increased drastically for the average Iraqi citizen as well as US and Occupying soldiers; the transition to native security forces is slow and excrutiatingly dangerous; the international bodies supporting America are dwindling and facing internal criticism and scrutiny for their involvement; American sentiment has drastically fallen from support of The Administration and of Congress; and on and on and on.

These are not signs of positive change: they are signs of intense and traumatic international turmoil.

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UPDATE:
Bush effortlessly echoes Cheney's positive warm-fuzzy feelings about Iraq.