Another isolationist heard from. Who says there were any past mistakes in Iraq?
Then once calm and security started to return to Al Anbar because enough Iraqis got p'od enough to pick up American purchased guns and uniforms to stand and fight, U.S. commanders were reluctant to actually go after terrorists.
We had the support of the people (which an insurgency needs to survive), but the brass was more interested in handing out teddy bears and candy than going after the terrorists that were still there......you know because people might think we were mean. The people on the other hand begged and pleaded for us to finish off the terrorists.
And then, ala Vietnam we cut and ran, and now two years after the war was won, ala Vietnam people are getting slaughtered by the very same people running ISIS that we were worried about killing because people would think we were mean.
The Iraqi forces only had a brass set on them when big brother was a radio call away, or in support. Now they're getting their asses handed to them.
The only thing those people understand, whether terrorist or Mohammed Citizen, is force and violence of action. It will either be the strong, violent, benefactor that like the U.S. that keeps them safe, or the strong, violent, and malefactor that rapes, murders, and subjugates them.
If the goal was to depose Saddam and some of the other war criminals, we could've done that and left. If the goal was to completely root out as many Ba'athists and terrorists as possible.....it needed to have a long term plan and the American people needed to grow a spine and stronger stomach.
It would take quite awhile to root out that mentality and teach them to live in a civilized world, grow to respect it, and be willing/able to defend it. We're still in Germany, Japan, and Italy by the way.