What does the US want in Iraq?

On his Web log, on 2004 September 16, John Robb asks what the United States wants in Iraq?

Robb points out that,

He lists a set of goals for you to pick:

1. A stable country sans Saddam?
2. A secular democracy that respects individual (particularly women) rights?
3. A country that is friendly to the US?
4. A country open to globalization that may not be a democracy?
5. A staging ground for US forces in the region?
6. A honeypot to attract al Qaeda (so they don't attack the US)?
7. A demonstration of US military power?
8. A demonstration of US beneficence?
9. All of the above or some of the above?

I looked at this list and figure that for the United States government as a whole, and its military, only two goals were relevant, although some people were likely persuaded by others.

For the US, the two goals are, or were:

1. To change the nature of the Middle East in the short run by becoming more able to intimidate other countries, to become a `staging ground for US forces in the region'.

2. To change the nature of the Middle East in the long run by creating a `secular democracy that respects individual (particularly women) rights'.

As far as I can see, the short term goal succeeded in enabling the US and Libya to come to terms, and may succeed more. The long term goal appears to me to have been abandoned even though it is the only one that provides safety to the US in generations to come.

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