[altura]

I don't know what you are implying.

The Great Society was a notorious failure. Maybe it was noble in its concept, but, like most attempts at socialism, no democrats were able to think far enough ahead to see the unexpected consequences. LBJ was such an odd man, I cannot even pretend to figure out his true motives.

Establishing a democracy in Iraq would be a good thing, and, unlike the great society, there was no particular political benefit to Bush in advancing this cause.

On the contrary, he knew it would be difficult and difficult to explain to people and probably cause his popularity to suffer.

So, your point is???????

[Wormwood]

On the contrary, he knew it would be difficult and difficult to explain to people and probably cause his popularity to suffer.

Really? Because I recall something about a "slam dunk" war, after which the Great Liberation Army would be greeted by cheering mobs of flower-tossing Iraqis.

[Austin Willard Wright]

You're right about the Great Society but carrying off that "noble dream" was a cake walk (and it still failed!) compared to the utopian goal of masterplanning the Bosnia writ large of Iraq.

Establishing a democracy in Iraq would be a good thing

I disagree. Democracy is worth nothing without liberty and justice. We can see that after the resounding "democratic" victory of Hamas and dare I say the democratic victory of Maliki/Sadr's fundamentalist Shi'ite coalition in Iraq. Give me liberty and justice any day over rule by the tyranny of numbers.