...for sure, resulting in chaos and more killing, and a nation that cannot hold itself together.
However, we must look at the big picture.
Given this level of chaos, it is easy to make an argument that the US must stay in Iraq in order to prevent "things getting worse". So that has worked out well for those in power who want us to be in Iraq forever.
Also, with this level of chaos, it has been easy to put mercenaries in place, as well as to secure those no-bid contracts for rebuilding Iraq's infrastructure and for supplying the US military with food and other necessities. So the big corporations in these businesses have made out like bandits.
All I'm saying is, while they may have appeared to not know what they were doing, in fact, they knew exactly. They may not have foreseen some of the consequences, but they have certainly benefitted firms like Blackwater, Halliburton, KBR, Carlyle, etc et-fucking-cetera.
So I think that from some points of view -- a la Cheney's recent remarks that the Iraq invasion and occupation has been a "successful endeavor" -- this whole thing has been a resounding success, seeing as how it has lined their pockets even more than they expected...
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL0157942120080317?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews"If you look back on those five years it has been a difficult, challenging but nonetheless successful endeavor ... and it has been well worth the effort," Cheney told a news conference in Baghdad after meeting Iraqi leaders."