Whose war that was I think I know

Young Ezra used a funny expression—

Rather than looking at the war that was actually being sold, I’d invented my own Iraq war to support -- an Iraq war with different aims, promoted by different people, conceptualized in a different way and bearing little resemblance to the project proposed by the Bush administration. In particular, I supported Kenneth Pollack’s Iraq war.

Pollack's war? Which one is that? I mean, other than being one of the ones that didn't take place (which would be, in fact, infinite in number, if I understand this)?

Rebuilding Afghanistan, Destroying al-Qaida, Setting Israel and Palestine on the Road to Peace, and Then, a Year or Two Down the Road After Some Diplomacy, Invading Iraq. In interviews and op-ed articles, Pollack himself still supports the war, saying that now is better than never. But it's fair to say that his book does not—or at least not Bush's path to it. (Chris Suellentrop in March 2003, cited in Wikipedia)

Oh, I see. That was the war where you'd leave the diplomacy running while you went out and did a bunch of other errands, so you could pop the war right into the oven when you got back. Also, the UN and the NGOs and Russia and what not were all going to like it better than the real one, for some reason, maybe because of Prime Minister Sharon tootling down that road to peace, so they'd be happy spending a ton of money to rebuild all the stuff you would have blown up. In short, it was delusional. Sorry, Ezra, I don't think that gets you off the hook.

But then whose war did we get, after all?

Photo by Winnie's Human.