Quick-Win Conflict a Quagmire for U.S.

[DoYouEverWonder]

November 1, 2006

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration's struggle to find a way out of Iraq, years after its original exit plan collapsed, is the latest example of a seemingly quick-win conflict turning into a quagmire for the United States.

The U.S. had lightning victories in Panama, Grenada and Haiti in the 1980s and again in Haiti in 1994. But it's also seen interventions go sour in Lebanon in the early 1980s and in Somalia a decade later -- and, of course, in Vietnam.

Administration officials like to say they have no exit strategy for Iraq, only a "strategy for victory." In other words, once you win the leaving will follow.

Shortly after U.S. troops captured Baghdad in April 2003 after less than a month of combat, it seemed they were about to do both -- win and leave. Thus far, in nearly the time it took the U.S. and its allies to prevail in World War II, they have done neither.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-war-as-quagmire,0,4682265.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines


Too bad Bush didn't listen to focus groups. We knew Iraq was going to be a mess.