Once Saddam Hussein was deposed, Iran sponsored groups quickly took control of Shiite politics, making US soldiers and the entire project captive to Iran’s desires and pressure. In deposing Saddam Hussein, we destroyed Iran’s most lethal opponent.
I can’t quite understand how that obvious fact was missed in Bush’s war planning
the other lesson - the division of present-day US politics prohibits such wars from being waged. The USA could have controlled and pacified Iraq, but it would literally have to have become a US colony. We would have to be prepared to kill many more, if necessary, and stay a minimum of 50 years. Vietnam was the same - but US politics would not allow it.
Ask the Christians in Iraq, while there are still any, if they are better off now, or under Saddam.
I think they knew that eliminating Saddam Hussein was going to have an impact in Iran, not sure they truly understood just how big the impact would be. Sure it allowed Iran to take control of Shiite politics in Iraq but could Bush/Cheney or anyone in the Bush Administration have guessed that OBozo was going to see to it that Khadaffi was deposed giving rise to ISIL/ISIS in the Midle East which furthere destabilized an already barely stable region?
I don't think so.
Could Bush/Cheney have foresaw OBozo's "red line" threat with Syria, only to back down from it and kiss Bashir al Assad's ass?
I don't think so.
If it's true that Bush/Cheney were responsible for creating the conditions for Iran's rise to dominance in the middle east (and they are....) then Obama's similarly responsible for the destabilizing effects of Libya, Syria and Northern Iraq (the Kurds) which gave rise to ISIL/ISIS.
Could anyone have really seen just how bad Obama was going to f**k up the Middle East after Bush/Cheney?
I don't think so.