Okay, let's chuck some numbers around...
There are only 26 milllion Iraqis and the average yearly income is now less than $100 per year. So far, the direct cost has been about $376 billion. The extended total cost is more than double that. That's about $30,000 for every man, woman and child in Iraq.
We've spent $120,000 for a family of four in Iraq and they're still making less than $100 per year with less water and electricity then they had before the war. Things aren't getting better and Americans and Iraqis continue to be killed and wounded. I don't know about you, but this seems like a bad deal to me.
I say we offer them $25,000 per person (I get to keep $5,000 per person because it's my idea) and withdraw the troops if they promise not to do again whatever it was they did in the first place.
We set up Walmarts, car dealerships, KFC and KrispyKreme donut places across Iraq so they have somewhere to spend the money. They'll become happy, well-fed consumers who will kick the living crap out any insurgents, politicians or dictator who tries to upset their golden apple cart.
You may think I'm being silly, but I think my plan has a better chance of success (however that's being defined this week) than the "New Way Forward in Iraq." Spilling more blood and money into the sands of Iraq is not a "New Way Forward."