[tbpiper]

the major objective for going to war with Iraq didn't pan out

The 'major objective' was the destruction of Saddam's regime, which seems to have 'panned out' nicely.

[Austin Willard Wright]

Panned out nicely? More than 100K troops overextended and tied down in a futile nation building operation, Shi'tes (who want domination) headling for a showdown with Kurds (who want autonomy or independence), 83 billion and more spending on nation building, enactment of Shari'a by the new interim authority, Americans killed at average of more than one per day? Don't think so.