ARROGANCE AND STUPIDITY INDEED

BBC News reports this morning that Alberto Fernandez, "A senior US state department official has said that the US has shown "arrogance and stupidity" in Iraq. Apparently, the administration is also now willing to talk to anybody, including Aunt Sue's knitting club if they have any ideas about how to stop the sectarian violence. Okay, those were my words, but here are theirs:

"Mr Fernandez, an Arabic speaker who is director of public diplomacy in the state department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, told Qatar-based al-Jazeera that the world was 'witnessing failure in Iraq'".

"'That's not the failure of the United States alone, but it is a disaster for the region,' he said. "

"'I think there is great room for strong criticism, because without doubt, there was arrogance and stupidity by the United States in Iraq.'"

Unfortunately, Mr. Fernandez was no more forthcoming with Al-Jazeera than Tony Snow is with the White House press corps.

"'Our goal in Iraq is clear and unchanging,' he said. 'Our goal is victory. What is changing are the tactics we use to achieve that goal.'"