XDA

The Associated (with Terrorists) Press reporter Tom Raum wrote a story this weekend stating that the war in Iraq has lasted longer than United States involvement in WWII. He's wrong. He's comparing the clash between armies in uniform to the occupation of the defeated country. WWII lasted, for us, just under 4 years (December 7, 1941 to September 2, 1945). The war in Iraq, which should be called Gulf War II, lasted just a few weeks (March 19, 2003 to April 9, 2003--the fall of Baghdad).

The Allies' occupation of Germany after the surrender on May 8, 1945 lasted nearly 10 years, until May 5, 1955, but if you count an occupation as foreign troops remaining on bases in the conquered country then the occupation of Germany has lasted 61 years and is still ongoing. The occupation of Japan ended on April 28, 1952, although we still have military bases in Japan.

The occupation of Iraq has been slightly different from the occupation of Germany (the insurgents have been much more numerous than the Werewolves). Japan was a pretty peaceful nation under the US occupation. But those differences don't effect the start and stop dates for the war fighting.

It has been a pretty bloody occupation though. Especially for Iraqis by Iraqis.

UPDATE: Now the war against Jihadists, that's still going on, and some of it is taking place in Iraq. If you want to put the start date of 9/11/01 on that wider war, that's OK with me (even though it started under President Carter). This new world war may well last a 100 years, unless we go nuclear early.