Consequences?
Our fearless leaders seem to have taken the position that liberating a country from oppression is a naturally a messy operation. That we (the U.S.) cannot be held accountable for any undesirable effects of that liberation. The "exhaling" of the Iraqui people is just a natural consequence of decades of oppression.

Unfortunately, this new disorder has not resulted in the "diapers and televisions" kind of looting, the type that Mr. Rumsfeld is so fond of associating with what is currently going on in Iraq. Instead it has produced theft of Iraqui history and culture, the symbols of Iraq's national identity.

Imagine if people "appropriated" the Constitution, or the Wright brother's plane or countless other artifacts that are woven into the tapestry of American history? How would you feel? Who would you blame?

If we want to avoid destroying the will of a nation along with the regime that controlled it we should consider doing something about this situation. How can we rebuild a nation when we contributed to the theft of their history?

The always thoughtful Doc Searls has some ideas, all of which seem pretty reasonable to me.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. We should not be so eager to forget that.