Chomsky: surprised at failure in Iraq: "The proposal [to withdraw from Iraq] has one big problem, which you in fact indicate. If the US withdraws, then there was no point invading. The US would be leaving without imposing a client regime and placing military bases right at the heart of the oil-producing regions, and, furthermore, without the claim of 'victory in the war on terror and against WMD,' how's Karl Rove going to make it through 2004?"

"Personally, I'm surprised at the failures. It must be one of the easiest military occupations in modern history: end the sanctions, kick out the thug, bring in some students from MIT to get the electricity system working, spread some money around, find collaborators who are always at the ready, and let them run the place as an "Arab facade" following US orders. Under far harsher conditions, military occupations have been quite successful."

"I spoke recently to a high official of one of the main NGOs, with plenty of experience all over the world's horror stories. He had just come back from several months in Baghdad, and said he had never seen such a combination of "arrogance, ignorance, and incompetence" as in the US command -- the civilian authorities. He was also shocked at the failure."

Chomsky: surprised at failure in Iraq: "The proposal [to withdraw from Iraq] has one big problem, which you in fact indicate. If the US withdraws, then there was no point invading. The US would be leaving without imposing a client regime and placing military bases right at the heart of the oil-producing regions, and, furthermore, without the claim of 'victory in the war on terror and against WMD,' how's Karl Rove going to make it through 2004?"

"Personally, I'm surprised at the failures. It must be one of the easiest military occupations in modern history: end the sanctions, kick out the thug, bring in some students from MIT to get the electricity system working, spread some money around, find collaborators who are always at the ready, and let them run the place as an "Arab facade" following US orders. Under far harsher conditions, military occupations have been quite successful."

"I spoke recently to a high official of one of the main NGOs, with plenty of experience all over the world's horror stories. He had just come back from several months in Baghdad, and said he had never seen such a combination of "arrogance, ignorance, and incompetence" as in the US command -- the civilian authorities. He was also shocked at the failure."