Remind me again why we invaded Iraq…

The Washington Times refreshes my recollection:

Despite the ongoing insurgent violence, the amenities of modern life are spreading to places in Iraq where they never previously existed. For instance, Iraq's telephone subscriptions have increased five-fold since Saddam Hussein's fall, according to the Brookings Institution's Iraq index.

Now, if you think that this alone is worth the ongoing carnage, just wait:

Automobile traffic, too, has increased dramatically — by five times, according to Brookings. The number of cars registered in Baghdad have more than doubled.

I know, I know. So many sick jokes to make, so little time.

If this unprecedented consumer success seems newsworthy, most American newspapers judged it otherwise.

The smoking gun mushroom cloud of unprecedented consumer success — of course, that's why we invaded Iraq. I keep forgetting.