Middle East

I am a regular reader of Andrew Sullivan's blog (andrewsullivan.com). He is a gay conservative who takes issue with the Republican (and, he accuses, the gay left when it suits them) attacks on gay unions. I have usually disagreed with his strong support for our Iraq adventure, and still do. But today he lists an array of hopeful signs in the mid-east, Mubarak feeling the need to sound like a democrat. Abbas' leadership of the Palestinians, Lebanon's chafing under Syrian oppression, Syrian giving over Saddam's half-brother, as signs that there is a significant shift taking place in the middle east, and that none of it would be happening without Bush having invaded Iraq.

It will be a long time before we know whether all this will result in something significantly new that makes life better, not only for people in that region, but for us in our efforts to combat terrorism. But I have to admit that, if they do, it will be welcome and will certainly have been significantly influenced by our Iraq policy.

I don't feel as optimistic as Sullivan, but as an unrepentant liberal Democrat who bitterly opposed going into Iraq, I will be thrilled if it turns out that it helps the world, rather than adds to the world's (and our) woes as I have feared.

Nto quite ready to eat crow yet, but I'm plucking feathers.