Not a very good answer..............
Or, one that is appropriate to the question posed.
If it stirs your most ample memory, reflect that Germany declared war on the United States. And, in case you have forgotten, Japan attacked US territory?
So, please reflect the circumstances are not even close to being similar. In this case, our country provided the unprovoked attack using the excuse of going after WMD's. our occupation is strictly as a victor exercising its will and attempting to bend Iraq to fit the rather cloudy image we would like to see it reflect.
You are correct to say we rebuilt Europe and Japan. This is much to our credit and reflects the greatness of the people of this nation. The debacle in Iraq does not.
Publius