The Left Coaster summarizes Bush's failings in Iraq:

Using lies to get us into Iraq. Undercutting the number of troops needed so Rummy can prove Americans can have an empire on the cheap. (After all, you have to have troops available to invade Syria, Iran, North Korea, etc.) Providing no post-invasion plan for stabilizing country. Allowing riots to rampage city, except for the Oil Ministry. The worst aspect was allowing the robbery of the Baghdad Museum. Using Saddam's Palace for the US Occupation Headquarters. Installing Paul Bremer, true believer of the miracle of the market whose first act was to disband the Iraqi military. Giving no-bid contracts to Halliburton, etc. It wouldn't be so bad if they actually delivered what they promised for a reasonable price. Gloating Mission Accomplished long before there was any such accomplishment. Using nepotism and ideology to pick ineffective and unqualified people to run the CPA (or as the Iraqis called it: the Cannot Provide Anything" gang). Ordering the Marines to teach Falluja a lesson. Presiding over the worst foreign policy scandal in US history with release of Abu Ghraib photos. (Seymour Hersh points out that the senior leadership - at least Rumsfeld and Rice - knew of this scandal in January and didn't do anything to change the policies that led to this catastrophy.) Accelerating handover of "sovereignty" to Iraq so that he could blame problems in Iraq on the Iraqis in charge. Criminalizing Sadr and his followers. Abandoning significant portions of Iraq for political reasons. After all, if Iraq doesn't blow up before the election, then perhaps Bush will be around to make more incompetent and destructive decisions.