A Case for Mass Destruction

Something's been bothering me. I don't understand how anyone could have thought that the war in Iraq would be quick and the transition in government "manageable." I can't decide if our trusty leader and his advisers REALLY thought this or if it's just another ruse. It also makes me think I'm a lot smarter, even, than I thought I was. The following is from an article at the NYT:

The memo indicates the two leaders [Bush and Blair] envisioned a quick victory and a transition to a new Iraqi government that would be complicated, but manageable. Mr. Bush predicted that it was "unlikely there would be internecine warfare between the different religious and ethnic groups." Mr. Blair agreed with that assessment.

Ah, the difficulties of coming up with reasons for attack. Pesky Americans who feel like there should be a reason for war. From the same article:

The memo also shows that the president and the prime minister acknowledged that no unconventional weapons had been found inside Iraq. Faced with the possibility of not finding any before the planned invasion, Mr. Bush talked about several ways to provoke a confrontation, including a proposal to paint a United States surveillance plane in the colors of the United Nations in hopes of drawing fire, or assassinating Mr. Hussein.