This writer is seriously deluded about our impact in Iraq, especially the “surge” in Iraq. It plainly won that war!
Does she think that protests would be so bold in Iran if not for a functioning democracy next door? Sure Iraq has political problems, but every nation does.
The bottom line is that the situations in Iraq and Afghanistan are not comparable.
By their very nature Guerrilla wars are unwinable. All you can hope for in the end is a sustainable peace for an extended time. When every house is a possible enemy castle occupation is like walking on broken glass. Look at our own Revolution! “From behind every hedgerow, tree and boulder”. In the long run the Brits could not sustain their position. (Tip to Bambi)Same holds true now.
Time will only tell.
Once again, we have used our military in a manner that falls way short of the stated purpose of war - the total defeat of ones enemy.
Once again we, with overwhelming military might, after the initial victories morphed the military into a nation building/status quo maintaining organ.
One would think with all the experience we have had since WWII in using the military for less than all out warfare that eventually we would get it right.
Time will tell.
Obviously, I am not at all certain the time and treasure we expended will achieve much at all and just might well be not more than a ripple in the sands of Mesopotamia as the author suggested. And if we are to win the greater battle against the Islamists we will have to eventually use our military, backed by the entire nation, to totally annihilate "the enemy" - Islam as practiced by those whose goal is to annihilate us!
The Iraqi Shiites are going to crush the Iraqi Kurds. Doesent mean its not a “nation state”.