Morton: I think you are partially right. Turning Iraq into a functioning Democracy, at least by Middle Eastern standards, was a worthy goal and may produce big dividends. But that does not mean we have to do the same thing everywhere else.

Our national objectives can be met very well by trashing Iran and not bothering to flush the toilet before we walk out the door. Let the Kurds or Iraqis walk in and take over the joint. Of course, there will be the inevitable TV specials about the suffering people there and how the NGOs are trying to clean up our mess and how many children were maimed by U.S. bombs. But there is no reason to shake hands with that tarbaby.