tactics and resources, ways and means
if the Administration had not grossly underestimated the number of troops necessary to secure the country, and then compounded that error by disbanding the Iraqi Army and failing to secure innumerable sources of munitions, and then completely, corruptly and incompetently wasted the resources allocated to Reconstruction, I might be more receptive to the idea of a "new strategy", but history leaves no room to even hope.
I know many on the Left think the whole Iraq project was hopeless from the outset. But, even if I thought it was possible to do good in Iraq, the history of a failed occupation and failed reconstruction would weigh against any optimism I could generate.
When someone from the Right insists we don't know how things in Iraq "will turn out" I despair. If you do not apply the necessary resources to accomplish your objective, and then squander the resources, which you do apply, what room is left for optimism.
If anything good does happen in Iraq, it won't be our fault.
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