Iraq and Confidence that the US can Solve the Financial Crisis

I have a question.

Has our experience in Iraq undermined the confidence the rest of the world had in our ability to show leadership and solve problems?

If so, has the lack of confidence in our ability to fix the problems in financial markets increased fear thereby making the problem much worse and much harder to fix? Did Iraq also show the world - as we are seeing with the G7 - that the cooperation among countries needed to solve problems is unlikely (another reason to be fearful)? When Bush gives a speech urging cooperation, as he did today, do European and other countries listen the way they might have before the war?

Is the severity of the financial market problems yet another consequence of Iraq?

I'm curious to hear your views, either way.