I'm still not so sure why everyone thinks the war is going so badly.
Way to many people (some of whom should know better) seem to think this is a movie, where the hero saves the day and rides off into the sunset in 1 1/2 hours.
Were mistakes made? ABSOLUTLY! Now I'm going to let you in on a dirty little secret (now shhh don't tell anyone) in every war mistakes are made...I direcet your attention to Operation Market-Garden.
Our biggest mistake, IMHO, has been being too careful about upsetting the applecart. We need to go after Iran and Syria regardless of what the UN has to say about it.