Armitage gets it right.

The Australian: Reflections of a straight shooter [January 20, 2005]:

"And Armitage's disappointments? Not a lugubrious person, Armitage doesn't nominate disappointments spontaneously. But he'll answer a question honestly: 'I'm disappointed that Iraq hasn't turned out better. And that we weren't able to move forward more meaningfully in the Middle East peace process.'

Then, after a minute's pause, he adds a third regret: 'The biggest regret is that we didn't stop 9/11. And then in the wake of 9/11, instead of redoubling what is our traditional export of hope and optimism we exported our fear and our anger. And presented a very intense and angry face to the world. I regret that a lot.'"

Of course this guy, who has apparently been the hit with the cluestick, is /leaving/ the administration. I'm sure the new Dep. Sec. State will tow the "everything turning up rosy" line.