war
it seems to me that we did things completely wrong in iraq. now i've never actually started a war. or run a war. but that won't keep me from blowing smoke out my ass. if you want regime change you finance a civil war - a la afghanistan. if you want concessions you beat up the existing government until they feel like they are in danger of losing control. but you don't actually remove them. otherwise the country descends into anarchy. just beat them up enough that you can get whatever tribute you want from them. 'course economic sanctions can do the same thing without all the fun of blowing shit up.