In an otherwise decent article, Tom Friedman, as always, needs to  include a throwaway line trashing the President's performance in Iraq as "pathetic."  Friedman's arrogance is astounding. Since he has probably never managed  anything more than his keyboard, maybe he should stop pontificating (it will never happen: he works for the Times), and accept that people who have to actually make decisons, and run things, risk failure, and do screw up at times, especially when they take on something enormous, like opening up the Arab world to democracy.  I guess a Friedman—run Iraq, would have had no insurgency, no casualties, and quick success, like everything else the Times manages. 

Richard Baehr   1 16 05