Principles before Politics

Sooo—The left’s savior, the sole Democratic candidate who opposed the war in Iraq (besides Dennis Kucinich), Dr. Howard Dean, believes that we should send more troops to Iraq in order to quell the violence and establish “democracy.” Well, I gotta tell ya, that doesn’t leave the likes of me anywhere to go, does it? Tweedledee/dum once again.
Here’s my question: Whatever happened to principle? How can the invasion have been unjust, but the continued occupation just fine?
Once, just once, I’d like a politician to take a stand. We screwed up. We admit it. Now, we hand Iraq back to the Iraqis—no WMD’s found, no Saddam in power—and place a tidy sum (certainly less than the billions we’re spending now) in trust to be doled out for reconstruction, etc., as deemed proper by a body that is chosen by the Iraqis by whatever means they choose.
Sound unrealistic? Not as unrealistic as our plans to “restore democracy.”
The point is—armed force is an evil, to be used almost never. Not, Dr. Dean, to be used to clean up the mess of our making. Let the Iraqis clean up the mess, since they sure don’t want us there any longer.
These are not original thoughts, I admit. Do they make me a Libertarian like Justin Raimondo? Maybe so. I'm getting to like government less and less.