> the fact is both wars were hugely popular when they started
That was the case in Afghanistan, but not in Iraq. There were significant protests against the planned invasion.
That was the case in Afghanistan, but not in Iraq. There were significant protests against the planned invasion.
Gallup polling shows 50-60% of Americans supported going in just to remove Hussein, in the first half of 2003 only 23-27% of Americans thought it was a mistake to go in to Iraq. see here for tons of polls done https://news.gallup.com/poll/1633/iraq.aspx
Despite seemingly everyone's revisionist histories, the country was scared and generally whipped into a frenzy, the right wanted it, the centrists wanted it, some of the left wanted it.
Yes that's what is discussed above: who did the whipping, and how they did it.