Speaking just within the limits of my own experiences, a resounding no. It was a complete waste of time, and our lives were at risk for nothing.
I was on a convoy security team in Anbar (West of Ramadi, so basically nothing). We were responsible for safe transport of supplies, IAs, IPs, to training, leave, etc. Some of this was worthwhile, but a lot of it was not.
What was not was that the majority of the convoys we ran were full of empty trucks and trailers. We were essentially riding up and down the roads being mine sweepers. At first we thought, we take empty trucks and trailers to other bases, so that they can go to different points from there, but we then realized the next mission, we would be taking the same trucks and trailers back to our base...
As time progressed, one of our guys asked a KBR employee what was the deal with all the empty trucks we take out, and since he was a former serviceman, he gave us the straight scoop and said it was because KBR makes money based on how many trucks go out, regardless if it needs to or if it is carrying anything crucial.
Now, I was there in 2006, so Anbar was pretty much pacified, but still there were IEDs and mines, etc. on the roads and from time to time ambushes and indirects on the roads. I know this comes with being in Iraq, so I'm not comlaining, but to be out there and be exposed to that for something pointless or so that KBR can make more $$ is BS to me. We were just really lucky because we only got hit twice, and both times it was on a civilian (one driver dead, one driver wounded), but other convoys were hit more often or weren't as lucky taking military casualties. It sucks that the civilian drivers got hurt or killed, but they knew what they were there for, money, because all of them were poor people from Eastern Europe, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Bangladesh, Phillippines, etc. and driving trucks in Iraq was way better than being at home despite the danger.
But for us, if we were just going out just to go out, then it was BS. I am no tough guy, hero, or whatever, I didn't receive any combat action, but I would have gladly gone to Baghdad or Ramadi instead of doing some BS, at the very least, it would have made it worthwhile.
That's my story.
As far as the govt. selling to the American people that we were really there to help them. I can't say. I know some people were helped, many others were not. I am a cynical guy by nature, and despite a few instances, I don't think we were ever anywhere genuinely to help anyone if it didn't serve our interests, either govt. or big business.