"Could American and Britain not have used the money they spend on this war on resources such as health and education within their own countries ?" ...... Guest (hmmm another guest)

Obviously we could. I assume you realy meant to ask is .... should we have?
I was in favour of the war purely to get Saddam out!

I think we have not handled this well at all and at the very least the lessons should be learned and remembered!

I am no soldier, or tactition but it is my belief that we should have created zones within Iraq and built up the infrastructure in those areas as they were "pacified". By infrastructure I mean Water Power Schools Hospitals , even places of reigeon! By doing that the people in the zone would have a positive view of the coalition and have an incentive to prevent insurgency.
By allowing the power vacuum we have allowed various groups to form, each with their own agenda but with us as a common target.

Sacking all the existing Army and Police was shear madness!