I liked this column. It's predicated on the idea that the mission in Iraq is important and justified. Friedman's position though is that a conservative government is too stupid and heavy handed to understand the sublties of the operation.
Friedman may or may not be right on that point, but the point that he completely overlooks, or fails to adress , is the tendency of liberals to turn tail and run when the fighting starts.
All the sublties dissapear after you surrender.
Liberals just don't turn tail and run when the fighting starts. They wail and moan, prevaricate, temporize and delay your going out to meet the enemy as mush as humanly possible; and then wail and moan at every step once the fighting does start.