The whole thing was half-cocked. We should have sent those troops to Afganistan. Iraq would have eventually taken care of itself. The whole history of Iraq has been one bunch bumping off another. Personally, I thought the best solution would have been to support Kurdistan's desire for independence. That would have given us a nice military base amidst people who wanted us there, and access to theirf oil too, and a heck of a lot better chance of a functioning democratic example as well from a populace that actually wants it.