Nothing is more serious, dangerous, hazardous and with unpredictable consequences than a war.
Especially if it's your country that starts it.
Especially it it's your country that starts it, unprovoked.
Especially if it's your country that starts it, unprovoked, with motives that change when the initial ones are no more valid.

It's a lot easier to liberate a country that had been invaded because the population will welcome the liberator.
However, in Iraq's case, nobody had invaded it previously.

I'm sorry, but the US invasion did remind europeans of the german invasions. I won't forget the US troops storming inside a house with a family and children, shouting orders they cannot understand, having been tipped by someone else....exactly what happened to my grandparents, father and uncle...after having being tipped by someone.

Afghanistan is another matter: did the Taliban originate there? And in any case, the world agreed it had to be done.

Iraq is a waste....a waste of time, of money, of lives but also hopefully it will turn against those who thought it was a good idea.