Anyone who thinks our expectations for a stable post-invasion Iraq are completely unrealistic should remember that it was people in the Bush administration who made these predictions, not us.
My hesitation about supporting the invasion of Iraq turned into outright opposition back in late 2002 or early 2003 when I watched a television interview in which U.S. Department of Defense official Richard Perle responded to a suggestion that the troop levels under consideration at the time were extremley insufficient -- by suggesting that the U.S. didn't even need ground troops at all. From that point forward it was clear to me that this adminstration was filled with @ssholes who had no idea what the hell they were doing.
But then you have to read those who think Blair is full of bunk and is re-writing history. . .and then figure out if maybe Blair's critics have their own agenda. . . .the point is War is ugly and compared to the history of warfare, the Iraq War has been an incredible victory. Extreme progress with minimal cost. By the way, remember one thing. ..the true measure of success: NO ATTACKS SINCE 911!!!