[NutCrackerBoy]

I think the strategy before was a holding pattern waiting for several things to coalesce:
a. wait for Iraqi government to pull together, since it must for its very survival
b. keep training Iraqis --- let them sink or swim in the task of fending off terrorists
c. challenge the USA armed forces to work better in war zones with fewer troops

What the main enemies in Iraq are doing is just scorched earth. Make the place hell. If someone really wants to do that, how do you stop them? I think we were running a football "prevent defense" and that gives the terrorists too much running room to destabilize areas.

[DB]

You go after their puppet masters - Iran.

That moves the war to Iran taking the terrorists focus off of Iraq. They can't afford to lose Iran so the front will move there.

[GSlob]

"[They] Make the place hell. If someone really wants to do that, how do you stop them?" - by making it even worse hell, that's how.