100,000 Iraqi people have been killed. 1200 American soldiers have been killed. 30,000 have been injured(blinded, amputated, post traumatic stress disorder). It should be clear to Mr. Bush and the 535 members of Congress who have no family members serving in military that their plan of attack on the terrorist needs to be changed,

If the 150,000 American troops are pulled out now, then chaos ensues. The 55% Shiite majority which will be heavily supported by the Islamic government of Iran will fight against Sunni muslims which make up 20% of Iran's population and the Kurds which make up the balance. The Shiites will eventually win and Iraq becomes an Islamic government. If American troops stay another 4 years, a strong internal Iraqi police force will emerge. Then, the US leaves and the Shiites, Sunni, and Kurds have escalted political disputes about the unequal distribution of profits related to the oil exports. Internal strife escalates to civil unrest and war and the Iranian supported Shiites take over and you have an Islamic Republic. So cut your loses and focus on attacking the terrorist and get out of Iran now.

-- Anonymous, December 14, 2004

Answers

How would you pull out the troops? I think the way out is through the current process. Once the electoral process begins, at the end of Jan 2005; we then have a legitimate government and it becomes that government's responsibility to tell us hen to leave and then we can leave with honor. We can't leave because more people are being killed, be Iraqi, Insurgents or soldiers.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 2004

Jazzman, I was never for the Iraq war. We went to war on the basis of WMDs. Our government has since determined that Saddam Hussein never possessed these WMD as originally thought. Some people venture to say that Bush was determined to go to war with Iraq on September 11, 2001. (If anyone remembers, in the spring of 2001 one of our US generals went on record to stating Saddam was not a threat.) Colin Powell warned President Bush of the Pottery Barn Theory (hope the name is right). Wherein, if you break it you own it. Well, the US broke Iraq and now we own her. We own many the hopes and dreams of the people of Iraq for a decent country. We also own their despair and the loss of lives and the decimation of parts of their country.

If we had any decency as a true Christian nation we would admit our wrongs to Iraq and the world and apply all our might to putting Iraq back together as the Iraq people desire. However, our country will not admit her mistakes. Unfortunately, America in few too instances has apologized to those she has wronged. In fact, incompetence has been rewarded at the hightest levels.... Bremer, Rice and Rumsfeld. Giuliani, America's so-called mayor, made millions from the 9/11 disaster, in spite of the fact that a panel determined his city was unprepared.

I believe we will be in Iraq for some time to come. Change can only be accomplished when people want and welcome it. Change cannot be enforced on a people. We will have military bases in Iraq for some time. I believe this was Bush's initial goal to get a foothold in the middle east. This occupation may break our country financially and spiritually, but you can bet we will be there for a while.

As a praying people we can ask God to spare our nation for her sins. Only He can work it out now.

-- Anonymous, December 16, 2004

I couldn't agree more with you Mary that the "incompetence" of the " C " student has resulted in needless loss of American and Iraqi lives.

-- Anonymous, December 19, 2004