Context

I am in complete agreement that the idea of death squads and the like is repugnant. What I've come to realize is that the problem isn't Bush (other than that he got us into this situation, and seems to unable to remove us from it), it's the situation. Given the situation in Iraq, death squads are completely logical. In civilized life, you have to think long-term. In law-of-the-jungle Iraq, thinking past the range of the moment will probably get you killed. The problem isn't the (in)competence of the administration (though that doesn't help), it's that the immoral is becoming the necessary over there. Wars involve atrocities. Occupations involve atrocities. We need to get out of Iraq as soon as possible.