[BOfH]

I was not referring to containing Iraq or Saddam Hussein for that matter, while some may have perceived him as a threat[1][sources you have cited], his true strength came from the military, which as proven during the Gulf War, was an obstacle that could be overcome. There may be many reasons, good and faulty, for the invasion of Iraq, and many of those relate solely to Iraq itself; However, in the context of Iran, the "containment" I am referring to is that of a sphere of influence, covert operations and proxy wars; not overt military containment. Iran's use of Hezbollah as a successful proxy against Israel was not lost on the US, especially after lessons learned in Vietnam and elsewhere; a byproduct of occupying Iraq was the ability to carve out that sphere, which we failed to do. Whether that was foresight or an afterthought, I cannot reference, as I am sure that is classified.


[1]http://old.nationalreview.com/comment/rivkin_casey200407130904.asp