Re: And winning the peace?
You have some very good points Mark but I disagree with "Americans view this war as a war of liberation and not of conquest.” While it's certainly not a war of conquest it's also not about liberation.
Like someone here said, "Iraqi freedom is the icing on the cake".
We are there to ensure the security of the U.S.
This war is a bitter pill and the perception of liberation is sugar coating to make it easier for the American people to swallow.