1: "Well, first the U.S. needs to realize that it lost the war in Iraq quite some time ago."

Did it really Greg? How? IIRC the reasons the USA launched the invasion in 2003 were as follows:

a) Enforce Iraqi compliance to the Safwan Ceasefire Agreement terms and conditions - In doing that they were 100% successful

b) Remove Saddam Hussein and the Sunni dominated Ba'athist regime from power - In doing that they were 100% successful

c) Replace the Ba'athist minority regime of Saddam Hussein by process of democratic elections based upon universal suffrage - In doing that they were 100% successful

d) Assist in the formation and training of Iraqi national police and security forces capable of defending their country - In this they were successful up to a point. The Iraqi Army and National Police that were in existence between March 2008 and December 2011 would not have run from ISIS. Post US withdrawal in December 2011 the elected Prime Minister of Iraq Nouri Al-Maliki basically screwed up right royally, he was not a unifying influence, he believed greatly in sectarianism and favouritism, in the Army he replaced extremely capable commanders with mainly Shia friends and those to whom he owed "political" favours. These were the Iraqi Commanders and Officers who ran from ISIS - they like Nouri Al-Maliki have now all been replaced.

Remember on this forum who stated that the USA was there {In Iraq} to:

- Steal their oil - didn't happen
- Stay and maintain a permanent military base - didn't happen They left 100% when they were asked to.
- Use Iraq as a base from which to attack Iran - didn't happen

2: "The situation there {Iraq}, pre-ISIS, was considerably worse that it was under Saddam, thanks to the U.S.

That would not be the opinion you would get from anyone who has voted in any of the country's elections since 2003. It would not be the opinion held by the majority Shia community, the Madaan, or the Kurds. It would not be the opinion of the Iraqi business community Per capita income before Saddam Hussein came to power was US$12,300 - During the tenure of Saddam Hussein that per capita income fell steadily through war and mismanagement to just US$507 - Since 2003 it has steadily increased and now stands at US$7,100.

3: "And its probably a forgone conclusion that Baghdad will fall."

Greg let's make a deal, if you are so convinced that "Baghdad will fall" - you stop posting until the day that Baghdad falls, then come and tell me that I was wrong.

4: "And the civil war in Syria WILL continue, whether the U.S. "does something" or not."

Of course it will Greg old son and you will continue to ignore it, and the excesses perpetrated against it's civil population (Many of them perpetrated by those you support in their struggle against Israel). I do not believe that the US has stated that it would do anything or take any side in the civil war now currently raging in Syria - it has said that it would consider hitting identified ISIS targets inside Syria.