3. Not given the red light would, I suspect, be a more accurate assessment than "given the green light". Apart from that, I do not dispute, George!!

The current fuck-up in the ME is 98% attributable to 2 governments, the British post WWI; who drew up artificial borders, ignoring the advice of experts such as T.E.Lawrence; & the modern American regime; who, gut instinct says, are possibly the most narrow-minded, limited, self-interested, parochial administration in history.

I admit, before anyone lays into me, that the latter may not be entirely true, but in this day & age even self interest requires a more than cursory look at the "big picture". The lack of forethought in the Bush administration is both astonishing & scary. No exit strategy at all. You'd think Vietnam had never happened... :(