I'm not a wolf, but I feel like crying

Good post on Hullabaloo about the long-term consequences of the neo-cons' Iraq screwup. Sometimes I think I can't even look at all the ramifications, it's too scary. Digby quotes an article from First Post--

The Iraq fiasco has demonstrated the limitations of American power in the Middle East, for all the world to see. If the neo-cons had only bothered to make serious plans for the reconstruction of the country, Tehran might now take Western sabre-rattling rather more seriously.

--and adds his own comments:

I have written before about how powerful countries must maintain their mystique or risk having crazy people make mistakes. Once it shows that its military is not omnipotent and that its intelligence is crude, it emboldens madmen to play their cards.

There's more if you can take it.