The best thing that can be said for the Iraq War is that, yes, Saddam Hussein is gone, and even (future) potential of his (perhaps once again) pursuit of WMDs (even if he wasn't doing so at the time of the invasion) is eliminated. That's … it. Non-trivial, but …
Have there been unexpected results? That's always true for warfare; anyone who tries to sell you a "short, successful war" is trying to sell you a lot else besides (QED). Between robbing the parallel Afghanistan effort of focus and resources, and the utterly bungled post-"Mission Accomplished" handling of the country, not to mention trillions squandered and Iran exerting its influence once more on its neighbor … nothing went in the Iraq War went as any of its proponents suggested*, and it was beyond the worst projections of its opponents.
(*That many of those proponents are now banging the drum loudly about Iran should be a great opportunity for demonstrating that we can actually learn something. Though I doubt it.)
And, finally was it worth the death of "4,500 U.S. soldiers and tens of thousands of Iraqis"? That's a conclusion for history to make, but early signs aren't promising. #ddtb
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U.S. military marks end to nearly nine bloody years in Iraq
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – U.S. forces formally ended their nine-year war in Iraq on Thursday with a low key flag ceremony in Baghdad, while to the north flickering violence highlighted ethnic and sectarian …