From experience, Iraq is a really bad country. And from the perspective of the average service member who has served over there; chances are they saw absolutely no difference in the country from the day they got there to the day they left, but you constantly hear commanders say that the country is in a better state. Point is, the scope of this war is well beyond the ramblings of the people on this forum, service members included (myself, active duty army, served in iraq twice). We will never be "in the know" as to what is really going on and why. It frustrates me to even think about it. Being in the medical field, my job is to support my fellow soldiers and keep them alive, even though I have a million "why's" in my head. Thanks to all those who support us no matter what.