Before William Kristol, a founder of the Project for the New American Century, arrived to lecture at the University of Charleston, a Gazette editorial asked him "why his neoconservative group and the White House pushed America into the Iraq war? Was it to gain control of Iraq's oil reserves? Was it to protect Israel? Was it to complete Bush's father's old vendetta against dictator Saddam Hussein? Was it to implant permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq, in keeping with PNAC's agenda to use America's armed might for worldwide sway, ushering in the 'new American century'?"

The editorial did not offer the usual standard test option of "all of the above," but it should have. Non-neoconservative commentators have been reporting for years on America's sense of entitlement to the world's oil, our protective bias in Israel's favor, and our grasp for empire. We already have more than 700 bases worldwide. Why not 10 or so more in Iraq (and in the Caspian basin), where there is a lot of oil and gas?

Now we must ask: Whatever the real reasons were, was it a good idea to attack Iraq? Are we better off today than we were five years ago? (I will not even address the terrible fate of the Iraqis.) Books have been written on this topic, but the simple answer is: No.

What resulted is that America is despised around the world. However many terrorists existed before 2003, willing to die if they could kill some of us too, there are many more now. So we are not safer now, period. The Middle East is less stable, so Israel and oil are less safe. The price of oil has gone up, probably more and more quickly than it would have done otherwise. Truckers have told us what they think of that.

We have lost more than 4,000 service men and women in Iraq (not counting record numbers of suicides). More than 30,000 severely wounded (not counting mental illness) have been brought home to dubious long-term care. I wonder if they or their families think that the war was a good idea.

The economy is in a dreadful state, and the debt incurred to pay for the war has something to do with that. Problems include not only the international balance of payments, but also losses from not paying for infrastructure, alternative energy, education or health care, for example. Our economy is riding on the shoulders of China, Japan and Saudi Arabia as long as they choose to carry us - pretty chancy transportation, I would say. Perhaps the debt we have incurred regarding goodwill and neighborly relations will impact our economy too. That remains to be seen. Do you suppose that oil nations might have been willing to sell us petroleum for less than the price we have paid in this war?

Perhaps the Gazette really asked those questions tongue in cheek. Why would we expect a truthful assessment from an administration front man now? After all, Kristol and his colleagues misled the American people every step of the way. They lied about the reason for the war; they lied about the conduct of the war; and they have lied about the "progress" of the war. They have lied about their intention to keep multiple military bases there indefinitely.

In his UC talk, Kristol actually did not speak directly about Iraq but rather presented a tepid bromide on politics. In response to a questioner, he said we are on a path toward a reasonable outcome in Iraq - that we will move the rest of the Middle East in the right direction. Very few outside the administration would agree with that.

For people actually interested in the truth about Iraq and current Middle East policy in all of its dimensions, I urge you to attend a lecture to be given by Ray McGovern at 7 p.m. today at the student union at West Virginia State University in Institute. McGovern is a retired CIA analyst. He was old-school CIA, the folks who actually believed the CIA motto "And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."

For 27 years, he presented the unvarnished truth to a succession of Republican presidents. Today, he will share his insider story with us.

McGovern is also longtime co-director of the Servant Leadership School (www.slschool.org). At 9 a.m. Thursday, he will be co-sponsored by the state Council of Churches (see www.wvcc.org/docs/RayMcGovern.pdf) to address a religious audience at Grace Bible Church at 600 Kanawha Blvd. W.

Both lectures are free and open to the public. Parking will be available.

Dr. Haning, a Charleston anesthesiologist, is a leader of Seneca 2, which helped sponsor the upcoming McGovern lecture at West Virginia State University.

The editorial did not offer the usual standard test option of "all of the above," but it should have. Non-neoconservative commentators have been reporting for years on America's sense of entitlement to the world's oil, our protective bias in Israel's favor, and our grasp for empire. We already have more than 700 bases worldwide. Why not 10 or so more in Iraq (and in the Caspian basin), where there is a lot of oil and gas?

Now we must ask: Whatever the real reasons were, was it a good idea to attack Iraq? Are we better off today than we were five years ago? (I will not even address the terrible fate of the Iraqis.) Books have been written on this topic, but the simple answer is: No.

What resulted is that America is despised around the world. However many terrorists existed before 2003, willing to die if they could kill some of us too, there are many more now. So we are not safer now, period. The Middle East is less stable, so Israel and oil are less safe. The price of oil has gone up, probably more and more quickly than it would have done otherwise. Truckers have told us what they think of that.

We have lost more than 4,000 service men and women in Iraq (not counting record numbers of suicides). More than 30,000 severely wounded (not counting mental illness) have been brought home to dubious long-term care. I wonder if they or their families think that the war was a good idea.

The economy is in a dreadful state, and the debt incurred to pay for the war has something to do with that. Problems include not only the international balance of payments, but also losses from not paying for infrastructure, alternative energy, education or health care, for example. Our economy is riding on the shoulders of China, Japan and Saudi Arabia as long as they choose to carry us - pretty chancy transportation, I would say. Perhaps the debt we have incurred regarding goodwill and neighborly relations will impact our economy too. That remains to be seen. Do you suppose that oil nations might have been willing to sell us petroleum for less than the price we have paid in this war?

Perhaps the Gazette really asked those questions tongue in cheek. Why would we expect a truthful assessment from an administration front man now? After all, Kristol and his colleagues misled the American people every step of the way. They lied about the reason for the war; they lied about the conduct of the war; and they have lied about the "progress" of the war. They have lied about their intention to keep multiple military bases there indefinitely.

In his UC talk, Kristol actually did not speak directly about Iraq but rather presented a tepid bromide on politics. In response to a questioner, he said we are on a path toward a reasonable outcome in Iraq - that we will move the rest of the Middle East in the right direction. Very few outside the administration would agree with that.

For people actually interested in the truth about Iraq and current Middle East policy in all of its dimensions, I urge you to attend a lecture to be given by Ray McGovern at 7 p.m. today at the student union at West Virginia State University in Institute. McGovern is a retired CIA analyst. He was old-school CIA, the folks who actually believed the CIA motto "And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."

For 27 years, he presented the unvarnished truth to a succession of Republican presidents. Today, he will share his insider story with us.

McGovern is also longtime co-director of the Servant Leadership School (www.slschool.org). At 9 a.m. Thursday, he will be co-sponsored by the state Council of Churches (see www.wvcc.org/docs/RayMcGovern.pdf) to address a religious audience at Grace Bible Church at 600 Kanawha Blvd. W.

Both lectures are free and open to the public. Parking will be available.

Dr. Haning, a Charleston anesthesiologist, is a leader of Seneca 2, which helped sponsor the upcoming McGovern lecture at West Virginia State University.