When the invasion of Iraq was turned into a nation building fiasco Bush snatched victory away. You do not go to war for that purpose. Bush and several others need to write it 10,000 times till they get it through their heads and it sinks in.
Going to war in Iraq should have been exactly that and limited to a precise and simple military objective. Remove Saddam and sons and bring them before a U.S. military tribunal for trial and punishment and not instead turned over for a stinking civics lesson. Eliminate all usable infrastructure in Iraq for any further threats from Iraq should have been the agenda. IOW bomb their manufacturing and power, communications , etc facilities back to the early 1900's. Leave it smoldering in ashes, and bring the troops home for victory and hero's welcome trhey so far have been denied. The war in Iraq should have taken months not nearly a decade.
But the problems in Iraq began when the military objective took back seat to diplomatic Bull Crap. Soldiers are for killing that is their job and duty. They are not the peace corps not Habitat for Humanity. They should not be court martialed for actions n country either especially under civil war conditions. Bush Botched Iraq. That is what happens when congress does not issue a formal declaration of war and lets POTUS do as he very well pleases.
Saddam is dead and the only we are doing there now is building a strong military and infrastructure for the next Saddam. I am 100% against that policy. Either go to war to destroy the enemy nation or stay home.
The neo-cons will never get that.