Why Bush's Screw-ups Could Set Back Human Rights

In a post on Sunday I went into the Bush administration backing ass-backwards into a human rights justification for the war in Iraq. This justification is of course bunk. The reason this argument should be beaten down with all deliberate speed is that the current Iraq war should not be used to tarnish the good name of humanitarian intervention. Right now 54% of Americans think Iraq was a mistake. When the next awfulness strikes and only American power can stop the killing, it is important that Iraq not be cited as a bad human rights intervention. Somalia is an example of a bad humanitarian intervention, what with "Black Hawk Down" and all. Kosovo is example of a success (no U.S. combat deaths, ethnic cleansing ended, Milosevic on trial) Iraq should not be made to tip the balance. Iraq is a massive screw-up, but it is not a screwed-up humanitarian intervention.