Interesting post, one that deserves some thought. You definitely hit on something regarding the well done (though apparently ignored) psychological response to tragic news. Another six months, the same plan (perhaps hyperized), and of course anticipate the same result. One definition of insanity is a person who repeats the same behavior and expects a different outcome, and I guess that apply to a group also. However, I think we're failing to discuss two key issues.
First, the President and Congress keep turning to the military to come up with a solution, and pretend to listen to our general officers, while the solution must be political. The military facilitates the political solution. What is the political solution that we're trying to enable?
Second, the talk of pulling out (I'm a minority in this group, I think we should, and I explained my position elsewhere on the site) is not going to force Iraq to solve its problems, because Iraq only exists in our memories. We destroyed its sovereignty and we're the only ones that maintain it. However, it will force Iraq's neighbors to come to grips with what having a basket case for neighbor means, and drive some regional responses, hopefully solutions.
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