The latest New York of Books has an article by Stanley Hoffman, of Harvard and I believe the Council on Foreign Relations, making an extended analogy between the US in Iraq and France of the Fourth Republic in Algeria. He says that neocolonial endeavors of this magnitude are hopeless, and offers a plan for exit.
Regrettably there's no direct link to the entire article; you have to mail it to yourself:
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/17470
Comments from list members?
Mark