Certainly a big fat warning to the world about the USA. A change of regime to the gibsmedat crowd, and suddenly you’re left holding the bag.
I agree with you, and I know hind sight is 20/20.... but taking Saddam and his military out (considering they were the only thing keeping some order there) was probably not such a good idea. I remember before we invaded Iraq reading an article that said 80% of everyone in Iraq hated the U.S. and would fight us to the death. That number is probably really close. That just means there were a lot more people over there to kill than we ever would have the stomach for. It means men, women, children. It means 80%.