IF, and that's a bit IF, your goal is to win hearts and minds in order to create a stable, secure situation without the constant presence of a foreign occupying military, having a foreign occupying military "lockdown" the capital city 4 years after having "won" the war is ridiculous.

It's more like the US is running a prison, with the Green Zone analogous to the control center and the only safe area for guards. A "lockdown" doesn't make the place stable once the lockdown is lifted. It only demonstrates the temporary superiority of force when temporarily applied.

And there's been so much brutality loosed upon that population that the possibility of reconciliation is nil - it will take the continued application of force for stability and the safety of the guards.

That's why this situation is over. Lost.

Arf