W steps up to the plate and declares that he takes responsibility for everything he says -

“I take personal responsibility for everything I say, absolutely,”

But really he cannot take responsibility in a meaningful sense. The global opposition to the Iraq war was unprecidented. Without the inflated claims about Iraq’s weaponry capabilities and progress this war may have been unsellable and therefore unfightable.

No one really knows how many people died in the war, though there are estimates of more than 6000 civilian casualties - over twice the Sept. 11 civilian causualty figures. Those who lost their lives are the one who are effectively taking the responsibility for what was said. And unfortunately the buck doesn’t stop there. Beyond the ongoing hunting contest which picks off one young soldier after another, a new precident was set in this war. A precident of pre-emptive attack.

How can one man take responsibility for such reckless change in policy about starting wars before conclusive evidence is found? It is certainly beyond his and perhaps anyones ability to comprehend. I for one don’t feel any safer.

This war victory is so sour. Young American soldiers are getting killed one after the other. The evidence of weapons of mass destruction use to sell the war on a reluctant world is turning out to be largely bogus.

Do you know the real tragedy here? The next time the United Nations wants a nation to be inspected or to disarm do you know what the leadership of that nation may say?

“Look what happened in Iraq. They allowed inspections, they had no weapons of mass destruction and yet they were attacked anyway and easily conquered. You are asking us to give up the only protection we have. What guarantee can you give us?”

And of course the answer is that there is no guarantee.

Disarmament by force only works in the short term at best, since it reinforces the notion around the world that force is an effective means to get what you want, even if that is peace.

Cooperative disarmament by all sides on the other hand is beneficial to one and all. No one needs to be killed or injured to bring about peace. Valuable resources don’t need to be wasted, nor does the land need to be left with radioactive dust with a half life of billions of years. Peaceful dialogue is better.

The Iraq war proved the false truth yet again: Might makes right. That is why this victory is so sour.