Paul Krugman: The Specter of Iraq

I don't write much about Iraq and all that these days, but a recent report by James Risen of The New York Times brings back the horror of the whole thing. And I don't just mean the fact that Americans were lied into war; that most of our media and policy elite rushed to join the bandwagon; and that the venture led to awesome waste of lives and money.

No, Iraq was also a moral cesspit. Not only were we taken to war on false pretenses, it was clear that this was done in part for domestic political gain. The occupation was treated not as a solemn task upon which the nation's honor depended, but as an opportunity to reward cronies. And don't forget the torture.