Originally Posted by theking

Easy answer...you change the mindset. There are multiple ways to accomplish this...and one of them is overwhelming crushing force...such as was used against the Japanese. Their culture/religion was as different to ours as the muslim culture/religion is to ours. No quarter given...in the form of unconditional surrender...overwhelming crushing force...changed their mindset and they ultimately meekly surrendered. Force does work.

One country at a time...and time itself...multiple generations of time. Iraq was mishandled due to Rumsfeld primarily...but also due to others. If the Powell doctrine of engaging our troops would have been used many of the problems that took place in the early stages of the conflict in Iraq would not have happened or at the least would have been greatly diminished and Iraq would in all probability be reasonably stable at this point...but from the beginning the Admin knew or should have known that we would have a military presence in Iraq for generations to come just as we still have a military presence in Germany and Japan and many other countries around the world.