[Moose4]

Obviously the anti-war freaks are going to spin this as a negative (just look at the comments on the linked article as an example) but I think it's good that the Army is taking a hard look at what went right AND wrong in Iraq. They should be able to learn a lot of useful lessons, I'd hope.

}:-)4

[SolidWood]

(failed to) send in enough troops to restore order

But the MSM at the same time also labels the "surge" a failure. Spin spin spin.

[Slapshot68]

Mistakes will always be made in war...nothing goes as planned. And despite the missteps, it was still a relative cakewalk when you compare it to past conflicts.

[zerosix]

Military has done this kind of thing, though usually NOT while armed conflicts are still occurring but as MSM and liberals now have an election to WIN, established military traditions be damned.

[Nick Danger]

...assuming that Iraq's government would remain functional after Hussein's ouster

That was a foreseeable mistake. Anyone who has ever worked in a company headed by a micro-managing dictator knows that such a leader ruthlessly gets rid of anyone who is not a "yes man." After two decades of Saddam Hussein, there wouldn't have been anyone left in the government — all the way out to the smallest villages — who could make a decision.

Companies headed by guys like that typically fall apart once the Supreme Leader leaves the scene. Keeping the Army in place wouldn't have helped; all the officers who could actually lead people had long since been purged, and probably killed.

[Lion Den Dan]

When the anti war pukes try to turn this to their advantage, someone needs to remind America of the horrendous mistakes made early in the Second World War. The learning curve was not nearly as steep as one might have hoped and we lost an enormous number of men. In light of that effort, it seems that the Iraq tussle went off like a scripted field exercise; not perfect but no disaster.

[reagan_fanatic]

I’ll bet a few mistakes were made during WWII, too, yet we went on to win that one.

Darn it, why can’t we be perfect!!??

[Billthedrill]

Silliness. The Army has always done this, and these studies make for fascinating and informative reading. Apparently CNN has just discovered this amazing fact. Catch up, fellas.

[11Bush]

Typical After Action Report. Provides the means to improve the next time by identifying problems and finding solutions.