Two years late, $200 billion (and 1750 troops and 100,000 Iraqis) short

Two quotes:

After conducting two brutal wars and enforcing murderous sanctions on Iraq, the US is the last country (except maybe North Korea) that should be running Iraq's affairs. That goes triple while Bush is in charge. This is Vietnam 1964. If we pull out, at worst a bloody civil war erupts, killing tens of thousands of people. If we stay, the brutal occupation continues, eventually killing many more while bankrupting the US. Sending more troops just means more will die, and will solidify the hatred against this country. There is no legitimate basis for believing that it will benefit Iraqis at all.
...
We may leave a mess behind, but staying will not make it any better, and will likely make it much worse.

-- Me, August 28, 2003

The United States needs to state to Iraqis and the world that ... we will review our position with all options open, including, but not limited to, setting a timetable for withdrawal.
...
The status quo, we know, is violent. What may happen if we leave is uncertain.

-- Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), yesterday

And uncertain is looking pretty attractive right about now.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

-- Albert Einstein