Retired army officer John A. Nagl writes:
The United States is now at war in Iraq for the third time in my lifetime, and after being in the middle of the first two I’m planning to sit this one out.
The first Iraq war was necessary and conducted well, as wars go; the second was unnecessary and conducted poorly at first, but ended up in a reasonable place given what a fiasco it had been at the start. This third war was entirely preventable, caused by a premature departure of U.S. troops after the second. Although it’s too soon to say how it will turn out, it is not too early to say that unless we get the endgame right, the United States will fight yet another war in Iraq before too long.
Read more at Get Ready for Iraq War IV.
Barack Obama’s dilemma recalls some sound advice from Bill Cosby:
“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”