Would invading Iraq result in a quagmire?

The justification for the Iraq war partly predicated on the assumption that the war would be swift and easy. In 2007, 4 years after the war started, the U.S. Government authorized the “Surge” – an additional 20,000 troops - to quell ethnic violence in the region.

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Should the United States invade Iraq?

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Agree

Experts In War

Dick Cheney U.S. Vice President 2001-2009

Mostly Agree

...There wouldn't have been anybody else with us. There would have been a U.S. occupation of Iraq. None of the Arab forces that were willing to fight with us in Kuwait were willing to invade... ...Once you took [Saddam Hussein’s government] over, then what are you going to put in its place? That's a very volatile part of the world, and if you take down the central government of Iraq, you could very easily end up seeing pieces of Iraq fly off... ...It's a quagmire if you go that far…

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15 Apr 1994 Source

Experts In Politics

Barack Obama United States President

Agree

Even a successful war against Iraq will require a US occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences.

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02 Oct 2002 Source

Joe Biden US Vice President, Democrat

Agree

[Despite that] I happen to think the military phase of this likely conflict will move relatively well, in the sense that we will be successful and will be relatively short [I] happen to think the aftermath will be an incredible undertaking for which we have not prepared the American people, and for which we are not fully prepared.

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03 Mar 2003 Source

Disagree

Experts In War

John McCain U.S. Senator, Republican

Disagree

I am very certain that this military engagement will not be very difficult. It may entail the risk of American lives and treasure, but Saddam Hussein is vastly weaker than he was in 1991. He does not have the support of his people. And I'd ask one question: What member of the Iraqi army is willing to die for Saddam Hussein when they know he's going to be taken out? So I don't think it's going to be nearly as difficult as some assume.

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12 Sep 2002 Source

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0 Points OmnipotentRabbit 10 Apr 2010 Stance on Question: Agree

Any war with Iraq, which is already unnecessary, would only create a snowball effect - the cost would be ever-increasing, and there would still be no solution as the Iraqis hold on to their beliefs.