Demanding Accountability for the Distortions

• "There is no doubt that he has chemical weapons stocks. . . . With respect to biological weapons, we are confident that he has some stocks of those weapons and he is probably continuing to try to develop more." Secretary of State Colin Powell, Sept. 8, 2002.

• "The more we wait, the more chance there is for this dictator with clear ties to terrorist groups, including al Qaeda, more time for him to pass a weapon, share a technology, or use these weapons again." Secretary Powell, Jan. 26, 2003.

A year ago we were told by a senior administration official that Iraq could "really finance its own reconstruction, and relatively soon." We now shell out more than $4 billion a month from the U.S. Treasury.

We were told last summer that the number of Iraqis signing up to fight "numbered in the thousands" -- only to see Iraqi troops refuse to fight at Fallujah and others switch sides, and hear military leaders admit that that the Iraqi forces weren't ready for prime time.

Now, let a D.C. government bureaucrat get it wrong or some low-level federal worker without friends in high places make a costly mistake and the weight of the world will come down on them. They will be hounded by congressional committees, pilloried and ridiculed in the media, and shunned by all people good and decent. They might even end up in jail.

That's what's called public accountability.

Well, how do we call to account those public officials who joined in decisions -- born out of concern for the nation's security but also out of pride, elitism and zealotry, as some will argue -- that led to the ruin of thousands of innocent, patriotic Americans and their families? When do they answer for their actions?

Martha Stewart was convicted for, among several offenses, lying to the government. What's the penalty when the government misleads the people?

kingc@washpost.com