Reply #20: All those things would have helped

[Warpy]

but IMO (which is worth exactly two cents) the thing that would have worked the best was putting the Iraqis back to work as quickly and as completely as possible. Everything else you suggested might have slowed the insurgency down, but wouldn't have stopped it. Having the money roll in to the Iraqi people in the form of steady paychecks and some hope for a better future might have had a better chance. At least they'd have had far less leisure time in which to contemplate murder.

We'll never know, though. All we know is what did happen: corporations at the trough and Iraqis left to their own devices, which turned out to be improvised explosive devices.

I'm glad to know you were with the good guys. I know enough other good guys who went in with good intentions to know it wasn't all stupidly bungled, just the parts that had any connection with this corrupt administration.