2. Stabilize the Gulf - you got to be kidding. The middle east has been at war long before America was born. Bush Sr made the right call.
You continue to misunderstand. The elimination of Iraq as a continued threat will and has stabalized the Gulf. Iran is not trying to slip into the vacuum left when Saddam/Iraq is gone.
When it all gets sorted out, Iraq will join the Gulf community.
The stabilazation of the Gulf is a completely seperate issue from the “mideast”,Palestinian/Lebanon’Syria/Israel ongoing war.