In a very real sense, any war is a cheat, but a religious war is more of a cheat than others.
To invent a lie and then ask others to die for it is a theft of souls. It is time to recognize the Iraq war for what it is: a cheat.
The best solace I have come up with for those who have lost family in Iraq is the analogy that Iraq is like a huge car accident. There are only victims, and often those responsible retire uninjured.
But when viewed as a huge accident, it does leave room for a policy that, although preposterous at first glance, is no more preposterous than to assume an American victory will ever be achieved.
When the war is viewed as a terrible and tragic accident, it allows us as a nation to resume our efforts as a rescue operation.
Some huge territory should be set aside in Iraq as a guarded community (similar to the Green Zone), and all women and children should be evacuated to it (men would also be allowed to enter provided they were naked).
Then those barbaric factions would be left alone to annihilate each other.
Page L. KnightKinsale