Consequences of Genius

President’s Bush’s dreams of empire although implemented very adroitly will leave behind some very dramatic consequences. Not only are the Iraqi’s in Parliament beginning to rebel and denounce the Iraq/US alliance, putting pressure on Maliki to modify the agreement but the entire Arab world is on edge waiting for its outcome. Bush’s dabbling in the Middle East simply reinforces his newly declared intent, conquest of Iraq. He largely stayed away. Peace is not on his agenda. Thank Goodness! According to Joseph L. Galloway in his McClatchy opinion column, if Bush had really cared about the peace process it would only lead to an even deeper disaster there:

Beyond a couple of photo-ops with Israeli President Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas — whose names Bush couldn't even pronounce — and an opening address that contained no new ideas, no commitment and no way forward, the president stayed away from the talks. Good thing, too. Had the president applied his diplomatic skills ("You're either with us or you're against us") and his keen character judgment (think Vladimir Putin and Pervez Musharraf), the Middle East might now be in flames.

Galloway seems to follow the conventional wisdom that Iraq is failure for Bush.

The elephant in the room in Annapolis was Iraq and the grotesque American failure — only real foreign policy legacy of the Bush presidency — that it represents. The consequences of that invasion and nearly five years of war have been to strengthen and hearten the wrong side in a vital and volatile region.

This is simply how conquest works. Slash, burn, conquer and move on. More from Galloway:

Buoyed by an illusory slam-dunk victory in Afghanistan, the president ordered a poorly planned and unnecessary charge into Iraq to plant democracy in infertile soil and an American flag in hostile territory. The result, setting intentions aside, has been the resurgence of Iran and Syria, as well as violent actors Hamas in the Palestinian territories and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Not to mention a big boost in recruiting and reality-based training for Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda terrorists. None of those outcomes adds anything to the prospects for peace in the Middle East or for America's standing as an honest broker of that scarce commodity. The gathering in Annapolis reminded me of an old Texas saying that the president ought to appreciate: A day late and a dollar short.

Galloway is correct in his assessment. The consequences of Bush’s brilliantly planned and executed plan for the conquest of Iraq will be dramatic and catastrophic to peace in the region. Of course Bush’s policy is, to him, a complete success. Galloway has pointed out the consequences of this “success.” Bush won’t change, indeed he is totally unable to change. He can’t compromise and he’s doing everything he can to insure his “legacy.” He is a conquerer and doesn’t want his conquest given away by his successors. He has his ultimate goal within reach and isn’t about to waver now. Impeachment is fast becoming the only deterrent that might put a dent in the President’s plan. What are we waiting for?