I'll save Pat the trouble of penning the inevitable response:

1. These guys sound like perfect matches for their roles in the new Liberaqi government. And of course we're appointing a former Shell shill...there's so much oil in that country, it wouldn't make sense not to have an oil exec in there. Just to, you know, make sure nothing happens to the fields. We have got to make sure the Iraqis get their money.

2. Of course it'll take longer than weeks to stabilize the region. But this is not colonialism, imperialism, or any other -ism. There is nothing to see here. Move along.

3. We are the best country on Earth.

4. I trust George W. Bush. He was called by God to lead our country in this time of renewed Manifest Destiny.

Lather, rinse, repeat.