Official Apologizes For Saying U.S. Has Shown "Stupidity" In Iraq

State Department Official Apologizes For Saying U.S. Has Shown "Stupidity" In Iraq. Will Department Spokesman Apologize For Lying About It?

A State Department official has apologized for telling Al Jazeera that the U.S. has shown "arrogance" and "stupidity" in Iraq.

"We tried to do our best (in Iraq) but I think there is much room for criticism because, undoubtedly, there was arrogance and there was stupidity from the United States in Iraq," senior U.S. State Department official Alberto Fernandez said to Al Jazeera in Arabic.

Immediately after the comments were made, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack blamed Al Jazeera, saying Fernandez' comments were not translated properly.

But today, Fernandez told CNN that the problem was not Al Jazeera's translation, but that he "seriously misspoke." Strangely, he said that his comments Sunday did not represent his views, or those of the Department.

It's a strange comment. If it didn't represent his views, why did he say them? And now that Fernandez has made his strange apology, will McCormack apologize for lying -- blaming Al Jazeera (the "enemy") rather than accept what Fernandez said? "