"Iraq" is not our enemy. The government of Saddam Hussein was our enemy. It is not ridiculous to stick around in Iraq and wield influence on the future direction of their government. That way we can minimize the chances that whichever government emerges becomes our enemy again. I don't want us to have to re-invade, do you?
Truman did it, but only to keep the Soviets from taking over in Japan and Germany.
And part of the reason we are doing it is to keep Al Qaeda (or Iran) from taking over in Iraq.
Here is what the plan SHOULD have been: Invade. Destroy Baghdad. Kill Saddam. Kill his sons. Execute the generals we know were guilty of warcrimes. Leave.
Meanwhile Al Qaeda has entered Iraq, built up sanctuaries, killed/extorted its way to some influence, and made Iraq a better haven than Afghanistan was. You don't mind?
Did you forget about Al Qaeda? Have you lost interest in fighting against Al Qaeda?
The longer we stay in Iraq, the worse it's going to get.
I don't agree. Why do you say that?
If we had completely devastated the military and the capital, destroyed the infrastructure, and killed all the people who took Iraq to this point in history, we probably would have never had problems with them again no matter who emerged as the new leader of Iraq.
I think that is precisely the problem we are having in Iraq. The military should not be nation-builders. They are nation-breakers, trained to kill and destroy.