End game

By Libby

Despite the incredulous spin from the White House it really couldn't be clearer that Bush deliberately endangered the national security. He knew that invading Iraq would only make AQ stronger but he did it anyway. Choose your own explanation. Stupidity. Cupidity. Simple insanity.

Whatever, Steve Benen nails the latest spokesmouth's explanation.

Perhaps Townsend understands game theory, perhaps not, but this is a dynamic in which we engaged in a confrontation which benefited our enemy twice — we backed off pursuit of al Qaeda in Afghanistan, giving the network a chance to regroup and grow stronger, and we foolishly launched an unnecessary war that ended up making al Qaeda’s recruiting and fundraising easier. We lose more of what we want, they gain more of what they want. It’s almost the definition of a zero-sum game.

Steve is more politic than me. I'd say it was a deliberate subversion of the public good for personal profit.