Iraq, Marine general Anthony Zinni declared on Hardball, was a "blunder."

"I think they misled [Bush] on what to expect--the rationale, the elements for the strategy, to the situation on the ground," Zinni said of Bush's advisors. "It wasn't going to be a pie-in-the-sky welcome in the streets with flowers." If anyone would know this, it would be Zinni. A combat veteran, Zinni led American forces in the Middle East and served as President Bush's envoy to the region.

Hardball host Chris Matthews asks: "If we were misled in terms of how easy it would be for us to go into Iraq? Who should be accountable? [Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Stephen] Cambone, [Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Douglas] Feith, [Deputy Defense Secretary Paul] Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld?

General Zinni answers: "Somebody ought to be held accountable. The president, the country, and the troops weren't served well. Why not all of them?"

Why not?

I know this is no Vietnam, but Scott McConnell has a point in the latest TAC, when he contrasts the lack of any serious Republican opposition to Bush to the Democrats challenging LBJ on Vietnam in '68. Not that they should necessarily force Bush's withdrawal from a reelection run and nominate a contemporary Eugene McCarthy or Humphrey, but where are there any establishment Republican voices (let alone administration ones)demanding that someone be held accountable for the Iraqi mess?

Hello Dan,

I wondered if you would pick up on General Zinni. Usually neocons answer criticism by wrapping themselves in the flag and questioning the critic's patriotism. I guess that wouldn't work on Zinni. Do you think we will ever (before the election) find out who blew the cover on the CIA agent? Why wouldn't the Pres. call his staff into the oval office and ask them?

Guido