Just exactly how is the daily number of murders committed within the United States on a daily basis relevant to the Iraq situation? Sounds to me like you are trying to sell an acceptable body count - not a very wise strategy (see Johson, Lyndon; Nixon, Richard).
I find your references to the Spanish-American War interesting in a couple of ways. First of all, it was a war "sold" to an America bitterly divided about the wisdom of the conflict. The sales job hid blatant imperialism behind a humanitarian smokescreen.
As much as it pains me to admit it
, there is some truth to what you are saying. I don't for a moment buy into the "we have become a weak country" hogwash the right has been crying since the days of the Cold War. Still, I have to agree that there is a perception that we can be driven out, either in abject defeat like Somolia, or in the face saving disgrace of another era's "peace with honor."
Unfortunately, I don't think the tactics employed by the Administration in Iraq or in Afghanistan are doing much to dispell the notion. This admistration is OBVIOUSLY in over its head. The fact that post-conflict planning - if in fact there was any - was done poorly, with certain naive idealogical assumptions, and without much genuine knowledge of the real world is obvious to everyone on the planet except the Administration and its blind followers. This "occupation lite" strategy is further alienating large portions of the population and providing a tactical advantage to the enemy.
The United States of America cannot win the peace in Iraq by itself. The United States of America cannot rent enough friends to put enough boots on the ground to win the peace in Iraq by itself. The massive military force that will cow an Iran or a Syria does not mean shit to a tree to a terrorist/gurellia/freedom fighter/whateverthefuckyouwannacallem. You cannot scare them out of action. You can, however, piss enough people off to recruit MORE followers to their cause. I don't think the abject defeat of a Somolia is going to happen. I do, however, think that the other alternative is more than possible - and that would be a disaster, not just for the U.S., but for the Iraqi people themselves, and the stability of the region and the world.