Over at Greg's place, I contest the notion that the uprising in Tunisia was inspired by the decision to invade Iraq or the fall of Saddam Hussein:
It's painfully simplistic, but simplicity often makes for attractive political narratives. The one being set up here is simple: If Tunisia succeeds in transitioning peacefully to a democratic state, the credit is due entirely to Bush for invading Iraq. If it does not, it is because Obama failed to "get on the right side of history." Like the invasion of Iraq itself, whatever evidence presents itself to support the preferred narrative, no matter how weak -- or in this case, nonexistent -- will be marshaled in its defense.
Classic heads we win tails you lose situation, and it might as well apply to everything that happens in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia from now on. Anything that goes well is due to the Bush administration's "principled idealism," anything that goes badly is due to the Obama administration's "weakness" in the face of despotism.
