Sweeping it under the rug

After nearly four years of war in Iraq, the Bush administration still can't admit its mistakes.

The Army commissioned a report evaluating the Iraqi reconstruction effort from RAND Corp., a federally-financed corporation that does research for the military. When the report was finished in 2005, both secret and unclassified versions were submitted to the Army, the latter intended for publication. The Army has proceeded to sit on both versions. According to an Army spokesman, "the analysts had in some cases taken a broader perspective on the early planning and operational phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom than desired or chartered by the Army." Leaked drafts of the report reveal criticism of the Defense Department, the State Department, and the Central Command in Iraq. They also fault Bush and his staff for not resolving conflicts between rival agencies during reconstruction.

Every administration makes its share of mistakes. Unfortunately, this administration's inability to admit and correct their mistakes compounds the damage caused by them.