In both Iraq and Afghanistan, we remained only at the approval of the host government once one was formed. Iraq failed to negotiate a SOFA with us and we left. To call us occupiers is to misstate the reality.
We intervened during the Gulf War as part of a broad coalition and kicked Iraq out of Kuwait. They never returned to Kuwait. We have done many "interventions" as you label them since Vietnam.
The Libya oil was only important to us because we had one refinery on the East coast that needed that sweet crude.
You and I will have to get together and define what a occupation is.
If Obamas surge that lasted more than a couple years..is not a occupation, then what the hell is it.?
If the second gulf war was not a full invasion and occupation of Iraq, then what is a occupation?
The SOFA, after a occupation, should not be optional! Period!
I had forgotten about Daddy Bush’s nato invasion and quit exit of Iraq to get Saddam out of Kuwait. It was successful for the limited scope and I just forgot it. So do a lot of other I suspect, since we had to go back.
BTW I fully supported going into Iraq on both occasions. I support Afganistan #1, but not the surge. The surge was a waste of men and money because it had a exit plan that was not only leaked to the enemy, it was trumpeted like it was a gift from Obama.
It neutered the entire enterprise. It’s a total loss. Just as Irag is now.