We now know that Iraq’s former Coalition Provisional Authority head, L. Paul Bremer, agreed with many critics of the war’s conduct by calling for more troops at the beginning of the occupation and throughout. One of his concerns was the fact that many of Saddam Hussein’s former weapons sites were unguarded. I was concerned about that at the time. Now my concerns are amplified.

Recall: The war was launched because we feared Saddam had weapons of mass destruction. The main fear was that these weapons might be transferred to terrorists who could use them against us. And yet in the invasion, there was little or no effort to secure these sites. And there was no effort to seal the borders to prevent their being exported, or purloined by terrorists. Why?

I’ve long pondered this, but Mr. Bremer’s gaffe brings it back into focus. Why would you launch a war that failed in its very planning to avoid the disaster that you went to war to prevent? I don’t understand. We were lucky in retrospect that Saddam didn’t have any weapons of mass destruction.

The way this war has been run, it might have actually increased the chances of such weapons getting to America via terrorists rather than reduced them. At least, that seems to me to be the logical inference. Am I somehow wrong? Why did the administration leave weapons sites unguarded for so long? Why did they not send enough troops to secure the borders? I’m still baffled. And rattled. We all should be.

E – Mail of the Week

“From: “Baghdad, USConsul”
To: “Baghdad, USConsul”
Subject: Warden Message
Date: Wed, 6 Oct 2004 14:36:13 +0000

Warden Message – Increased Security Awareness within the International Zone

On October 5, 2004, at approximately 1 pm, U.S. Embassy security personnel discovered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at the Green Zone Cafe. A U.S. Military Explosive Ordnance Detachment safely disarmed the IED.

American citizens living or working in the International Zone are strongly encouraged to take the following security precautions:

* Limit non-essential movement within the International Zone, especially at night.
* Travel in groups of two or more.
* Carry several means of communication.
* Avoid the Green Zone Cafe, the Chinese Restaurants, the Lone Star restaurant and Vendor Alley.
* Conduct physical fitness training within a compound perimeter.
* Notify office personnel or friends of your travel plans in the International Zone.
**** Conduct a thorough search of your vehicle prior to entering it.

Consular Section
US Embassy Baghdad”

Teresa Heinz Moore

More evidence that Senator Kerry’s wife is a disaster. Here are two quotes from her on Tuesday about the war on terror: “The Taliban is back running Afghanistan. “To paraphrase Senator Edwards, is she out of her mind? And then her argument against the war to depose Saddam: “No American boy or girl should lose their lives for oil.” Is this her husband’s position? Shouldn’t he be asked? Shouldn’t more people be aware of how far left the potential president’s wife is? Well, now they are.

Quote of the Week

“If we were to sum up where we have ended up after four years of the Intifada, [we would find that] there are three opinions: the first opinion is that after the killing of 1,000 Israelis in the Intifada, Israel would collapse, as would Sharon; the second opinion is that the armed Intifada would liberate the homeland; the third opinion is that the Intifada would bring the settlements to a halt. An examination [of the matter] shows that Sharon did not fall. On the contrary, he has become the most popular [leader] in the history of Israel, after having been subjected to condemnations in Israel.

“On the same note, all of the Palestinian lands are now occupied and vulnerable, and the settlements have nearly doubled. We damaged our relations with the Americans and with Israeli public opinion; the latest statement from the Quartet is an additional indication of what has become of us.”

– former Palestinian Authority prime minister Mahmoud Abbas [Abu Mazen].

A New Low

South Carolina Republican Senate candidate James DeMint has now reached another antigay low. His was the campaign that accidentally sent out an e-mail using the word “dike,” and now he’s declaring that gays should not be allowed to teach in public schools. According to South Carolina’s “The State,” “DeMint, a Greenville congressman, said the government should not endorse homosexuality and “folks teaching in school need to represent our values.”

Inez Tenenbaum, the state education superintendent, called Mr. DeMint’s position “un-American.” Mr. DeMint said after the debate that he would not require teachers to admit to being gay, but if they were “openly gay, I do not think that they should be teaching at public schools.”

It’s interesting to remember that, two generations ago, Ronald Reagan specifically opposed a California initiative to bar gays from teaching. But, in some respects, today’s Republican Party is not Reagan’s party any more.

Mr. Sullivan writes every day for www.andrewsullivan.com.