Is the Middle East "Freer, More Hopeful, and More Promising"?

In a Middle East valedictory speech today, summing up the nearly eight years of his two administrations, George W. Bush declared that "the Middle East in 2008 is a freer, more hopeful, and more promising place than it was in 2001."

I disagree. Count some of the important ways things are now worse:

• George W. Bush delivering his swan song on the Middle East.

  Iran is closer to nuclear weapons, perhaps the single most alarming development of Bush's era.

• Pakistan is close to becoming a nuclear-armed, Islamist rogue state.

• The price of oil reached all time highs and only collapsed in recent months due to a U.S.-led recession.

• Turkey has gone from being a stalwart ally to the most anti-American country in the world.

• The doctrine of preemption has been discredited.

• Arab rejectionism of Israel has spread.

• Democracy efforts in Egypt have collapsed.

• Hizbullah grows in power in Lebanon.

• Hamas took power in Gaza and may next control the West Bank.

• The Taliban may again run Afghanistan.

And Iraq? Bush made an almost direct reply to my appeal since 2003 to place a "democratically-minded strongman" in power in Baghdad, stating that "when Saddam's regime fell, we refused to take the easy option and install a friendly strongman in his place." Bush remains convinced he did the right thing, I remain convinced that the Iraq story will end badly for the United States.

What are the positive Bush legacies? I count two. No Saddam Hussein in Iraq and a Libya that is only quasi hostile. (December 5, 2008)

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