It has ALWAYS been this way, and Bush's crew KNEW that.

Scheid said the planners continued to try "to write what was called Phase 4," or the piece of the plan that included post-invasion operations like occupation.

Even if the troops didn't stay, "at least we have to plan for it," Scheid said.

"I remember the secretary of defense saying that he would fire the next person that said that," Scheid said. "We would not do planning for Phase 4 operations, which would require all those additional troops that people talk about today.

"He said we will not do that because the American public will not back us if they think we are going over there for a long war."

...."In his own mind he thought we could go in and fight and take out the regime and come out. But a lot of us planners were having a real hard time with it because we were also thinking we can't do this. Once you tear up a country you have to stay and rebuild it. It was very challenging."

The Washington Monthly

Note! He didn't say "the leftists" or "the rightists".
He was talking about the ENTIRE American public. Left AND right.

It's only the people who still insist on drinking the Bush kool-aid who don't have the pragmatism on this issue right now.
This whole "when did this change" b.s. is a "spin" question which paints a false reality.

America WOULD NEVER have gone to war if Bush had painted an ACCURATE picture of what WAS going on in Iraq, and what would be REQUIRED for Iraq.

And instead of addressing that fact of reality, you lamely respond with an assessment of "blather".