Ellis: "It would be too cruel to assume anyone had MEANT this foreign policy mess to happen surely!"

Yes, it's hard to believe, but I recall seeing the ominous clouds of foreboding when I saw Senator Bush campaigning in a bomber jacket. There seems to be plentiful evidence of incompetence, but also much more than that. I think the Caesar analogy is close to the mark, although history tells us that Julius was nothing if not competent. Try Nero.

Sorry I can't make any additional connection with the forum topic, it's just a blatant political comment. It is, however, a comment on behalf of the hundreds of thousands who have died through this "incompetence".

"Time is what prevents everything from happening at once" - John Wheeler