The very character of the war in Iraq has been transformed from a democratizing mission into a stabilizing mission high in casualties and in cost. Instead of the intended radical realignment of power relations in the region, the aim is now to simply maintain the status quo.
伊拉克战争的性质也从追求民主降格为制止动荡，伴随着大量的人员伤亡和财产损失。原本期待的地区权力关系的彻底调整终于没有实现，而当前的目标已经沦落为简单地维持现状。