The ominous price of American failure in Iraq by David Hirst

The neocons bought the axiom - but turned it on its head. Thanks to them the Iraqi invasion became the supreme expression of double standards that have forever vitiated US Middle East policies. In theory, the settlement was to come about under the auspices of democratization and reform. In practice, it would come about through a higher level of external coercion, radiating from the invasion, than had ever been applied before, and by a yet more extravagant bias in Israel's favor.