[gurneyHaleck]

But by Christmas of 2001, a lot of people would just roll their eyes, and say things like "Oh come on. Iraq? Bullshit. No way." [0]

By mid-2002 there were weird goings on, things like lumber shortages, and it was like "Oh fuck. Iraq is happening for real, and this isn't going to be a quick in-and-out." [1]

This is just according to my personal memories, of course. They pretty much line up with wikiepedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War

  [0] Donald Rumsfeld memo dated 27 November 
      2001 (still bullshit territory)

  [1] During 2002, the amount of ordnance 
      used by British and American aircraft 
      patrolling the no-fly zones of Iraq 
      increased compared to the previous 
      years and by August had "become a full
      air offensive". (was actually happening)