Very good commentary, especially towards the end there.
You can't beat people in an ideological war with military might. It was incredibly naive of Bush and his friends to think they could change the way an entire culture had been thinking, if indeed that's what he set out to do in the first place. Which he probably didn't.
I like his reasoning: Bush's biggest mistake was listening to some of the world's most knowledgeable and experienced policy experts instead of moderately-educated wonks like myself.
I think you're confusing "the world's most knowledgable and experienced policy experts" with the Bush cabinet. Part of being experienced means having the wisdom to know when you've made a mistake, and the maturity to admit that. Except for Powell, no one on the Bush team had that. Cheney may have been involved in national policy for longer than I've been alive, but what he's gotten out of it isn't experience -- it's fanaticism.
Also: if you're president it helps to have ideas and, well, scruples of your own so that the most powerful man on Earth is not just being led on a leash by the decrepit old evil men who advise him.
My kids and grandchildren will likely hate me for it, but I will make sure the next generations know that Bush II was if not our worst president ever, a complete travesty.
Bush Jr. is such an easy fucking target. It's pretty obvious he was propped up to sell this bullshit during his presidency and then play the (unknowing to him probably...at least pre-ball rolling) human shield afterwards. I'm all for calling him an idiot, but can we please get to kicking Bush Jr. out of the way and unloading on his fucking handlers?