Heck, I was dismissive of Shinseki's 300K troop estimates, and I still am. No apologies. But that doesn't mean I thought by any stretch that things would be easy. Some folks are just unable to comprehend the complex challenges involved.
Yes, they did. The timing of this war was originally aimed at getting U.S. troops out of harm's way long before the 2004 election. That's why John Kerry's best campaign ad this summer will be George W. Bush's silly performace on the deck of that aircraft carrier last year.
You think these people don't realize this? Of course they do.