I have the impression that the administration didn't have a clue what the long-term committment would cost; or what specific efforts it would take to succeed.

I think they were clear on how easy it would be to win the war. But that they also thought everything else would be just as easy. Security? No Problem! Democracy? Everybody loves that -- it sells itself!

It is bizarre how little planning went into dealing with the aftermath of invasion. They spend more effort dreaming up ways to delay costs and keep them off the books (and off the headlines), than they did on planning for Iraq after Saddam.

If I ran a project like that, I wouldn't have my job for long.