Fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq commemorated Wednesday . U.S. money given to former insurgents is cited as force in Iraq 's improvement . Retired Army Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, a retired commander who served with Petraeus and now teaches at West Point, said he was surprised by how much progress has been made since 2003, when the United States invaded Iraq. Critics predict a quick return to civil war when the money dries up .
Fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq commemorated Wednesday . U.S. money given to former insurgents is cited as force in Iraq 's improvement . Retired Army Col. Doug Macgregor says it 's a `` cash-for-peace '' scheme . Critics predict a quick return to civil war when the money dries up .