Isn't it ironic...don'tcha think?

Why'd we go into Iraq?

They had Weapons of Mass Destruction.

To reduce the threat of terrorism.

To free the Iraqi people, facilitating stability in the region through the spread of democracy in the face of despotic regimes.

Having not only failed to find WMD, but succeeded in turning the country into a summer camp for urban terrorists-in training, we were left with the third rationale...until this morning.

Iraq signs military pact with Iran

BAGHDAD - Iraq signed a military pact with Iran on Wednesday in a breakthrough with a former foe, but al Qaeda said it would kill Egypt's kidnapped envoy and attack more diplomats to stop the government winning international support.

Defense Minister Saadoun al-Dulaimi signed a pact in Tehran agreeing to accept Iranian military training and other cooperation with the country Iraq fought for a decade under ousted leader Saddam Hussein.

Responding to the suggestion that the thaw in ties with Iran would anger Washington, Dulaimi said: "Nobody can dictate to Iraq its relations with other countries." (Courtesy of Reuters)

Un. Real.

Evidently, this is what happens when strategy emerges from the Bizarro-world that is the Bush White House. Is it really possible, with even the most cursory of planning, to have a situation stray so fantastically far from its stated aims? Someone must've tripped over a black cat, fallen underneath a ladder, and broken the mirrors he was carrying, all while trying to open his umbrella indoors to garner that kind of luck.

First, "last throes" were steadily spiking violence and body counts. Then, "fighting terrorism" resulted in the creation of a training ground for new converts. Now "combatting oppression with Democracy" has managed to heal the rift between Iraq and a decades-old adversary and charter member of the Axis of Evil. A right, bang-up job, here, gentlemen.

Exactly how much pressure is the blooming Iraqi democracy going to put on the government of a neighbor that's helping it get its military back on its feet? How supportive is it going to be of the U.S. hardline stance against its new ally? No thinktank necessary on this one.

Falling short in achieving a stated objective is acceptable. Things happen; unpredictable variables can arise. But to have your efforts not only fail, but achieve results that are the polar opposite of what was desired? It's like Sherman salting the fields and Johnny Reb ending up with bumper crops...of Popeye-grade spinach.

At this rate, we're better off pretending North Korea doesn't even exist for the next four years. Christ knows what will happen if we turn our energies towards them.