d**n, Septic alert! Probably gotta be a little nice to him as well - seeing a he's a guest and all.
Mr.Happy: please don't concern yourself with my feelings, as my wife says "they rarely incur into my thoughts or reasoning." Speak your mind!
As far as an occupied (liberated) country goes, I can't think of any reason we should be in the lead. Well I could but it does not make sense, although LTG Abazae (sp) seems quite qualified. I would hope it would be a combined effort all around. Do I think we have some special skill at it? Doubtful, it's just not what we train for. Where you Brits have been dealing with NI for... well you know.
Do I think US forces are tops? I think our light Infantry, Airborne Infantry, Rangers, and SPECOPS guys are all top notch. I'd put them up against the best in the world any day of the week.
As for our other forces, well it's difficult to explain. Our Army was gutted by mr.clintoon, we are in the process of recovery as well as fighting this BS "Army of One" crap. It has fostered a bad morale in many troops, as well as our training becoming quite "Canned" out side of our light troops.
Granted I am (or was) a light troop for 10 of my 12 years, I am bias and I do hold our other forces in contempt for lacking basic discipline that I feel all soldiers should posses. Doesn't matter if your a cook, mechanic, or typist, a soldier is a soldier and it should all start there. But as I'm sure you know it doesn't!
That being said, I wouldn't trade the US soldier for any. They can do amazing things if led correctly and trained correctly.
My thoughts, I would gladly turn Iraq over to England, Australia or other equally responsible country for it's reconstruction. The sooner our boys and girls come home the better for all concerned. I also lean toward isolationism to some extent, but that is another debate all together.
Sorry it's so long.