[AzDesertRat]

[ QUOTE ]
The Shiites, Sunnis, Kurds, and other factions require a secure environment to reach political accom*modation. The United States and the international community should do everything possible to help to stabilize Iraq. Specifically, the U.S. Congress should not interfere with ongoing military efforts to secure and stabilize Iraq or legislate restrictions on the use of U.S. military force.
Yes, the war in Iraq can be won. Winning would be helping Iraqis build a stable government that is an ally in the war on terrorism—unlike Saddam's Iraq, which was an enemy in that war. This would be a major victory. It is true that Iraq will be a violent place for many years. But some of the forces that make it violent—radical Islamists and Saddam's Baathist supporters—are sworn enemies of the United States. If we turn our backs on them now, their threat will only grow.

[/ QUOTE ]

you sound like a republican (not that there is anything wrong with that)--if you want to look for parallels, look no further than the former state of Yugoslavia. It like Iraq was a coalition of ethnic groups held together by a strong ruthless leader. Once the leader fell, all hell broke loose. The solution to the problem will be similar--no matter how unpopular they may be with some people and countries. The strategies employed from the begining were so flawed that this appears to be the only choice. Democracy is nothing but a pipe dream now.

I blame everybody for not bringing up to the potential pitfalls of the this policy in the runup to the war--that includes republicans, democrats, the press and the masses of sheep aka the public.