The errors have already occurred. Therefore there possibly is no long term alternate plan. We appear to deal with what we have, again with little appreciation of cause and effect. What goes through our leaders minds?? I have long since given up attempting to understand what drives and motivates. I was totally against the original Iraqi invasion, and like dominoes we fall into a mode of behaviour. The major issue is that we cannot trust our political masters to tell it straight, therefore it is nigh on impossible for the rest of us (thinkers) amongst us to rationalise. We also must never forget that all of this is costing us dearly in miltary and civilian loss if life.