Have we learned yet that The OCCUPIER has never won a war won when the OCCUPIED outnumbers the OCCUPIER??

Question

I remember it so vividly. In the beginning. Soon after the start of the war in Iraq,.
"We are NOT an occupying force," came cries of denial from Donald Rumsfeld, and the Generals, and the President....
Denials. Denials.
But I think I already knew differently. When Us troops stormed into Downtown Baghdad,, and I saw that clip..of a U.S. soldier, hoisting a United States flag......
Oh it was soon taken down. But the image was still there. It was such a humm, BOLD and disturbing move.
Then came Colin Powell, after weeks of denial also, letting it slip that we were "occupying" Iraq.
And then Bush.,denying, denying. Continuous assurances that we were there "to bring freedom and democracy" to the Iraqi people.
But finally relenting.
"Yes, we are occupying."
When will we learn....
or no...
its more that our government has to stop lying to us. I thnk, even as we might not like what they do, that if they do it and not lie about it, this government would be far more respected.

Answer 1

Although I 99% agree with your reasoning regarding Iraq, I have to point out that history knows quite a few examples of successful occupation, from Roman empire expansion to the U.S. occupying post-WWII Japan.

I don't think population matters. Attractiveness of ideology, political and economic model - does. Both ancient Rome and U.S. in Japan were quite successful for this reason.