For those who are wondering why I am wasting my time answering a question from a guy who really doesn't understand world events, the answer is: "I don't know". But as Forrest Gump says "A promise is a promise" and I'll answer it quickly.

In 1990 the U.S. & it's allies invaded Iraq because it had invaded Kuwait. Kuwait was one of the few Democracy's - or near democracy - outside of Israel in teh Middle East. The problem was that we went in with the UN and under the UN resolution could not finish the job we had started. however, under the conditions of ending the assault of Iraq were conditions that Hussein had to follow without exception and that he in fact had agreed to including but not exclusive to: all access for spot inspections from UN inspectors, the dismanteling of all chemical weapons (he had them because he used them during the war with Iran), various human rights initiatives and so on. Well, 13-14 years later and 16 UN resolutions later, Hussein kicked UN inspectors out of the country denying them the access they sought, he continued to violate UN resolutions, fired at our Air Force with rockets, violated restricted air space, slaughtered his own people by the hundreds of thousands,offered $25,000 to families who would send their loved ones to detonate themselves with bombs strapped around their chests to kill Israeli's, harbored terrorists from other countries bought other countries votes in the UN through the 'Oil-for-Food' scandal and countless other human rights violations. After 9/11 - rightly or wrongly- bush and Company felt that in addition to the war in Afganistan that it was necessary - more than ever - to take out this regime. Again, some thought it was the right thing to do at the time and others didn't. I did and I stand by that. I don't stand by the methods the US used for the first 4 years of this war. They were not prepared and I lay the blame at the feet of Donald Rumsfeld though again, his job wasn't as simple as others would lead you to believe. The problem with this war in my view was that they didn't have a Plan 'B' for what would happen if things didn't go as planned. They didn't block the borders for other terrorists to come in from Iran & Syria, they should have involved the iraqi police immediately rather than disband them and so on and so forth. There were too many mistakes that should have been researched better. The fact that Bush placed all of his marbles in the WMD basket was yet again another error in judgment though it was hardly the reason I supported the invasion in the first place. However, disappointed I was, I was equally encouraged with the promotion of General Patreaus and the dividends his leadership has paid. Especially considering what the man was handed. Of course, most Democrats thanked him with the infamous "Did General Betray-Us?" Dispicable!

So, there is a brief but reasonable answer to your question. It is honest and that's all I can do. Sadly, your quite particularly astute so having a sincere dialogue with someone like yourself probably won't happen and that's too bad.