Here's what I want to know about Iraq.

[chieftain]

Who set things in motion that led to a long term occupation of Iraq? I have just read 4 books that cover most of the aspects of the debacle that is Iraq War II and after all that reading I still have no answer to that basic question.
Tommy Franks was telling his people after the capture of Baghdad that we would draw down to something like 30,000 troops in country very quickly. This seems to have been Jay Garner's understanding as well.
Then Bremer shows up and instead of a decapitation strategy where only the top layers of Iraqis are disenfranchised, the CPA fires even teachers and civil servants who had only nominal affiliation with the Baathist Party. Then for good measure, he disbands the army. With thousands of soldiers, teachers and minor functionaries without jobs and a livelihood, Bremer imports a cast of Republican politicos, greedy contractors and no bid multi national companies who loot the treasury while displaying incredible incompetence at their stated mission.
So I remain baffled as to the decision making process that led to a 180 degree turn from a quick withdrawal to an open ended nation building exercise.
I thought the invasion to be immoral and likely to lead to the enhancement of Iran's power in the region and in the world. But I thought the Neo cons would get away with it with a minimum of political damage because Rove would understand that the American people would eventually turn on an indefinite period of inconclusive warfare in a far away land.But for what ever reason, they are in a quagmire that may well sink the GOP the way Vietnam neutered the Democrats.