Andrew Sullivan has highlighted a fascinating, yet troubling, YouTube capture of a BBC interview with John Bolton on the recess-appointed Ambassador’s views of the Iraq War and its aftermath.
As Sullivan writes:
The BBC’s interviewers are not as deferent as some in America. Paxman is among the most aggressive.
What staggers me about this clip is Bolton’s point-blank view that the US had no responsibility to impose order after the invasion, and no responsibility for security within the country. Bolton actually says that the only error Bush really made was not giving the Iraqis “a copy of the Federalist papers and saying, ‘Good luck.'” Yes, he says he’s exaggerating for effect, but he is conveying the gist of the policy.
The casual recklessness and arrogance of these people never cease to amaze. The world is theirs’ to play with — and the victims of a vortex of predictable and predicted violence are just left to help themselves.
I see no need to add to Andrew Sullivan’s cogent take on Bolton’s hyper-strain of hit-and-run pugnacious nationalism.
— Steve Clemons
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