Exactly! And that is what the administration failed to do, take into account a range of possible Iraqi reactions and make contingency plans. Instead, the war was sold as quick, our military welcomed as liberators, and the war was to virtually pay for itself with oil revenues.
If the war is now perceived as a failure, its because reality hasn't matched administration pre-war PR.
Further, the administration failed to notice that rules of occupation as specified in the Hague Regulations (signed onto by the US) say that occupying forces "shall be regarded only as administrator and usufructuary of public buildings, real estate, forests, and agricultural estates belonging to the hostile State, and situated in the occupied country. It must safeguard the capital of these properties, and administer them in accordance with the rules of usufruct." In other words, the administration's planned privatization of Iraqi assets could not legally take place until a new Iraqi constitution and government was in place to authorized it.
While the administration failed to notice, or decided to ignore the rules, potential investors did not. Privatization and economic development has been stalled because any investment or sale under those conditions can be declared void and subject to seizure, unless, of course we successfully set up a puppet government willing to carry out US plans. But where is the freedom in that? Isn't freedom really the ability to decide for ourselves what's good for us?
Based on what do you say this?
Instead, the war was sold as quick
No it wasn't.
our military welcomed as liberators,
I'll have you know that our military were, and are, welcomed as liberators, by some Iraqis. All Iraqis? No. But so what? Since when is that the standard for anything? If some fraction of Iraqis doesn't welcome the overthrow of Saddam, that makes "Iraqis didn't welcome us" a true statement?
Anyhow, "our military will be welcomed as liberators" was not a prominent part of how the war was "sold" (geez how I hate this cliched way of talking that the left has given us) in the first place. You can't find Bush saying this in a speech for example.
and the war was to virtually pay for itself with oil revenues.
No it wasn't. Again, show me where Bush ever said this.
If the war is now perceived as a failure, its because reality hasn't matched administration pre-war PR.
No, it's because reality doesn't match the cartoonishly impossible fantasyland ahistorical standard for success in war which has set up by a hostile media and straw-man-building left.
All of your preceding points are complete bogus straw-men. Bush never said "quick", he never said "pay for itself", he never said "all Iraqis will welcome us as liberators". Whether you know it or not those memes are straw-men that have trickled down to you from the left. The war is perceived as failure by people who have lazily bought into the left's straw-men.