I think that what we relly have to do is stay the course. If we dont all the lives of our brave soldiers who have died in this venture would have died in vain. All wars are costly. We have made many mistakes throuy this great nation, but we always come out on top. We are still in Korea, we are still in Afgn, we are still in Japan,Germany etc and we will bw for a long time. God Bless America,

Yes..pull are troops and they will just go away!They're busy over there sothey can't plan for over here...don't forget that!

It was not anyone's place to move in to Iraq. We all know that the government lied as to why. The war will continue so long as there are soliders from other countries damaging it. Think about it, if someone stepped into your home without permission, took over how you raise your children, and gave you a beating everytime you said or did something they didn't like, would you tolerate it? Would you not do everything in your power to fight back? Iraq has its problems, just like other middle east countries. There will still be internal problems when and IF the US backs out. Thats there problems, not ours to decide how they deal with it.

I found profoundly disturbing Robert Catlin's "We need to turn the place into glass and let the vultures sort it out". Does he seriously think violence can be solved by more violence?

Iraq is a wounded, traumatized country which needs to be helped to help herself. Please be patient with the Iraqis--it's only a relatively small minority (who are unfortunately heard from too often) who are carrying out the bombings and other violent acts. Please don't condemn the majority who like you and me only want to live and work in peace with their families.

Why don't someofyou goread a bookonwhathappened during your war in 1776...it was just as ugly! FREEDOM ISN'T EASY AND IT ISN'T FREE!!!THIS ISN'T MC'Ds BUT A LONG HARD ROAD..LIKE THEROAD YOUR FOREFATHERS WENT DOWN!

They have been fighting for thousands of years amongst themselves. Now we get involved. The best thing to happen to these people is a civil war. Is it sad, yes, but when one side is victorious then that will be it, and peace will happen on its own. Look at our civil war, changes were made after the conflict. We have ruffled so many feathers that now we can leave and let them kill each other off until there is a winner. Peace through superior firepower......

Read your history. While not as horrific, occurences like this happened during our own revolution. Loyalists lost homes lands and life. We managed to overcome MOST of our prejudices and crate mans best last hope. We can only hope this works as well for the Iraqi people.

Mr. Engel,

So, you see what is going on over there. You see the various comments from those of us over here who have little or no idea what is going on.

Remember Tito and the old Yougoslavia? It took a dictator and absolute control to maintain the peace, but he did it for many years and with an atmosphere much less repressive than the USSR.

Is that what is needed here? A benovalent dictator to rule people who will not get involved at all, or those who kill at will, because they can?

There is so much talk of religion, but I think we all can begin to see, religion has nothing to do with it really, it just provides a cover for those who wish to control.

N.

You don't go to another country and enforce your values and beliefs in the hope they will embrace it as well. this is what our government did when they went and invade iraq. this is a lesson we should all try to remember. These people are not americans. they have their own set of values that we as americans do not agree. you cannot change something overnight of what has been going on for years.

Sad. When we attacked Iraq during the (first) Gulf War I thought we were there for the right reasons. . . latter we heard that some of the information we heard had been fabricated. We still supported our troops. This time many of us were against this war from the start. No WMDs, no “freedom for the Iraqi people”, no reason to go to war and no plan to get us out. The people of that region of the world have been at war with each other for thousands of years, we’re not going to fix anything in a year or two or ten or more, but the longer we’re there the more enemies we are making.
It’s time to come home. Bring our sons, our daughters, our fathers, brothers and sisters home and lets try to rebuild America.

Our fighting men and women would be best supported by getting them the hell out of there. They are in a no-win situation thanks to the current Administration.

The pain, the pain...

My family had lived in Iraq for generations after generations.
Ten years ago we wouldnt know what is the difference between Sunnis and Shia.
Today my family fled Iraq. My mother is living as a refugee in Jordan because she was threatened while she and other Sunnis lived in tolerance in a predominantly Shia neighborhood. They threatened to put a bullet in her head if she remained in her house. A house that was built back in 1962.
I have heared of hundreds of stories alike from Shia and Sunni friends, and Turkmans in Kirkuk also.
Are the Americans proud of this type of "liberation"?
The only liberated people in Iraq today are the thugs and killers...Yesterday we were afraid from one Saddam, today we are afraid of hunderds of Saddams? is this the democracy that we deserve?

Why Iraq? Why not Africa? Why not North Korea? Why not Iran? Oil maybe for our President and his good buddy system's retirement?

Troop withdrawal! timelines! democracy! We are building the largest embassy (104 acres) in the middle of Baghdad! Why? Because Iraq has the 2nd largest known oil reserves in the world! Read Matthew Simmons book "Twilight in the Desert" He was also on Dick Cheney's secret energy task force team in 2001. When you connect the dots this whole messy picture gets much clearer.

It's so easy to say "Let's pull out of Iraq, they are all crazy, un-educated killers" etc... But in hindsight, what if we never would have gone to Iraq? Not only would they be worse along, but who knows what would have happened on U. S. soil. I get form the article that these people are un-educated, heartless people that will do anything to survive. Why wouldn't they retaliate against the U.S.? They have a hate that runs through their blood for Americans. This is a prime example of what's really going on over there- You don't think they need HELP?!! Sounds like they need more than that...

Getting out of Iraq is not the answer, regardless of the corruption of some of these organizations. If the U.S. leaves before the Iraqi government can learn how to control this, the hate and killing would not only increase but spread throughout the region.
We have problems like this in the U.S. as well; do you propose we leave here too?
Do you propose that the residents of Washington DC or LA run away to allow the lawless factions take over?
The answer is providing balance and security, to desynchronize terrorist and Jihadist organizations.
To expect a victory like WWII is immature and idealistic at best. The soldiers and law enforcement agencies of this country have worked and sacrificed to reduce the capabilities of the threat, they will never completely be eradicated.
This new type of Asymmetric warfare will only increase and will require the full support of the American people to keep America free and Safe.

Fortunately or maybe unfortunately we in the U.S. live fairly safe and secluded lives from of this violence. However this was not always the case in our history or the history of other free democratic states. We in the U.S. still have issues with gangs and thugs who would prefer to live in a state of anarchy, fortunately we the masses who believe and practice civil law will not allow this. This will happen in Iraq as well as other areas of the middle-east and Africa. It will not happen over night and it will not happen without blood shed, unfortunately. The one thing I do find ironic though is the number of Middle Eastern people taking sanctuary under the laws of the U.S. unwilling to return to their countries to assist in building the piece yet throw rocks at our government for its position. I guess like our politicians it’s alright to spill blood as long as it’s not theirs or their family members who are dieing for these changes.

seems pandora"s box has been unleased with the invasion of Iraq.

I think a bit of the story was left out. Like the part where they robbed the victims after they killed them. Just sounds like criminals to me. You wonder when the decent people will rise up.

Amazing story, history reliving its self. Early days of America 1700’s were the hanging of people in public streets. Middle East cut your hand off if you stole something. Africa stones a mother and child to death if she has a child out of wedlock. Wake up it is the 20th century people. What super human strength or powers do these people like Abu Durra have which give him the right to be God? From what I see he is nothing but a coward hiding behind family and security. If killing people in the streets and laying them from block to block is setting a good example for those to feel safe, that is hilarious. These people may have a long history of violence but this is pure evil even to their own kind. I am sure Mr. Abu knows his days are numbered and that all he is doing is putting a new page in the history books called “I AM JUST ANTHER IDIOT ON THE HORIZON". I never heard of a college called kill my own people. If it was not for the safety of united countries, our world would go in flames from the hatred of these evil people educated or not. We have to ask our self about the people committing these hateful acts, what’s in it for them. Sad to see this is what’s making our world revolve and getting our full attention to what loser has the spot light today on the news. Abu if you can read English, don’t get rid of your body guards you will need an army soon. Be safe Richard Engel and thank you for the good story but very sad.

Steven Richards

I'm so sad reading that story. Iraq doesn't seem to hold a lot of hope. We are not the answer they are looking for. I'm not anti war...and not even sure what my opinion is on the war...but from the very beginning I've said one thing...our country is going to war with, not only a country, but a religious factor that has been waging war with eachother since the beginning of time. What do we know about fighting and dying in the name of religion? In the arab countries, the people fight because of the belief they hold in their God and religion, in our country, people go to the Supreme Court to have God removed from everything, even our Pledge. These people have fought from the beginning of time for what they believe, they will fight until the end of time for what they believe...WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THAT??? We've fought many wars, we've either won or walked away...but we have never stuck it out for eternity...we are in over our heads. I don't think its fair for us to cut and run, but our soldiers are fighting and dying in a war that is beyond our comprehension. It is going to take more than an American Flag to make any Arab nation forget their past and not focus and rely on their religious beliefs. No one argues that Sadam needed to be stopped, but Iraq didn't have a navy, airforce and army that was going to invade our country anytime soon. We made a mistake, trusted the wrong people and went to war with a nation and a people that live and die for their God. Stories like this one, unfortunately, will continue long after our lifetime. Our country needed a civil war to become united and a civil war with 3 seperate nations is probably what will help fix Iraq..sad truth, but still the only reality one can look for, it won't be the US or Coalition Forces uniting this country...maybe a united Iraq is an Iraq never meant to be...it took our country a civil war, a women's liberation and an end to Segregation before we became "united" and still, we can't always get along, but luckily, because we are the country we are, we have law and order that hold us accountable. Apparently, Iraq doesn't have any security, therefore, no law and order...we are fighting a losing battle and even though American lives are being lost, it is Iraq that is suffering, it is Iraq children that are growing up in hell, it is not about whether or not the US is compassionate, it is about a way of life that we don't understand. I think its time someone took a look into the past and looked at the Arab nations all the way back to biblical times, these are old countries, with old vendetta's compared to the US...we are young, a "teenager" in the world, our past isn't nearly as long as the Arab countries and until we truly understand the history of the Arab countries, the wars they have fought and the beliefs they hold...we will never be seen as anything other than a war hungry nation to them.

This is horror, and the people living over there have to live this horror daily. But they may now have an opportunity to change that horror, now that Saddam and his henchmen have been ousted. It may very well may mean civil war, and a long one at that. But at least they now have that opportunity - to make a better life for their loved ones and themselves. Freedom is not free - our own ancestors have proven that many times now. I am proud of our troops and those of other like-minded countries trying to make things better over there. I want them home soon, yes, but I also know we can't just yank them out. Think of the vaccuum we would cause if we did. Turkey, Iran, and so many other neighboring countries might gladly rush in to create genocide and take over this land. Instead, let's support our president and our troops, and pray for their soon and safe withdrawl.

Richard, thank you for this creative way of presenting a very hard truth that we tend to become desensitized to. It's not just your friend who is losing his compassion; all of us tend to forget the harsh reality we can't fathom that others live in. I'm a huge fan of you, ever since you reported for Good Morning America, and miss seeing you on GMA. I've unofficially adopted you as "my reporter" - keep it up!!! And may God keep you safe, and sane...

Our politicians from both parties should be proud of what they accomplished in Iraq. They've replace one dictatorship that murdered millions with individual death squads who are working on their millions.
Thanks Bush,Kerry,Kennedy,Feinstein,Boxer,Schumer, and the rest of you misfits in D.C.

Now why is the media only showing the bad side of war? Yes, war is not pretty, it definetly shows the darkside of humanity, but what about the good stuff? I know when I was deployed to Iraq, twice yes! twice!!! the first time was during the initial invasion in March 2003 and again during the battle for Fallujah in 2004. Ive seen and been in alot situations, but I quite recall that we did alot more humanitarian missions than what you see on tv. How about reporting the stuff that we do like building schools for the little iraqi kids, supplying a village or town with much needed clean drinking water, and giving medical care to the local iraqi communities. But of course not, Blood + Guts = RATINGS!!!!!!!!. Of Course the media wont report more on that , its boring. But I can bet you money that if those humanitarian missions were reported on more, the american people would think twice about us being there.