A VERY SERIOUS PERSON

(Via Atrios) Here's a clip of Tom the Tough Guy Friedman from May 30, 2003, explaining to Charlie Rose that we invaded Iraq to show that we really were tough guys. I think there is some truth to that claim and what is worrisome is that this VERY SERIOUS PERSON seems to enjoy that rationale. Atrios also provides a partial transcript:

I think it [the invasion of Iraq] was unquestionably worth doing, Charlie....We needed to go over there, basically, um, and um, uh, take out a very big state right in the heart of that world and burst that bubble, and there was only one way to do it....What they needed to see was American boys and girls going house to house, from Basra to Baghdad, um and basically saying, "Which part of this sentence don't you understand?" You don't think, you know, we care about our open society, you think this bubble fantasy, we're just gonna to let it grow? Well, Suck. On. This.Okay.

Digby has more from Tough Guy Tommy.