if we were to make oil worthless. solar power and grain fuel. how would they be able to generate money. it is obvious that even now we are being made ready to look like fools. when the tribes all get together and amnesty is given to the people who killed our soldiers. saddam will be replaced with someone else. and the same horrors will continue till the end of time.

These people were raised from birth to hate anyone that is free to speak their mind, to live where they want and to work where they are happy. They soon will have the entire world against them as they go on their little trips to Europe, Australia, Canada etc. causing disruptions to the different contries. They only know pain and torture and seem to get great pleasure out of it. They will bring a fury upon themselve that cannot be imagined And thet will do it by themselves if we just sit and wait. When all the countries get together and decide enough is enough we will then eliminate them for once and all. Unfortunately some good may go with the bad, but how is that any different than what is happening to the good people there right now? Remember Hiroshima!!!!

I was never for the war and I guess I will never be. I am a veteran and I believe that the best war is the one you do not fight. The facts are: 1) Saddam was on his knees and feared his neighbors more than the US. He was reduced to shaking down oil contractors to pay his bills. 2) The Administration lied to the American people - and continue to do so - to justify the war. I knew this was a scam. 3) The American people will pay for this mistake - again. I live in Houston and there are a lot of people here that would rather have spent their lives in their native country of Vietnam but circumstances and policies have prevented that. As with that conflict, the only Iraqis that will end up in freedom are future US citizens.

I am amazed at idiot's that have been elected to national office who have never served a day in the military and actors, actresses,who think they know best for our military. I served 22 years and I trust our president and his advisors to know what is best for our country and our military.

Unfortunately, we never had a plan of action once we took over Iraq. This has been a disaster since the beginning. It's hard to win a war when you don't go all out to eliminate every threat. Since many countries hate the US, militants and insurgents have found many volunteers to fight us. I don't know if this can be won. It's seem to be constant choas and I feel sorry for the Iraqi people. To know that the Iraqi people have numerous obstacles to overcome, it's very sad. Death awaits them everyday.

On many different nights, in New York city, Los Angeles and other countless American cities, similar things have happened. Innocent people being killed, only not for political beliefs or religious beliefs, but for the color of their clothing, the brand of their shoes, who their friends are. People being excecuted en mass in schools because someone made fun of them 5 years earlier. People being executed en masse for $200 from a cash register.

Wake up America. The true problem is not overseas in a underdeveoped country we are attempting to help. It's in our own backyard. In your neighborhood.

I have read through these comments and I can only say that there are a large portion of our people that really don't have a clue as to what is happening in the world. Iraq is just on the center stage right now but it's one of many. Iraq will be "tamed" one day and the people of that country will FOREVER be grateful to the people of the US that sacrificed for them. That's what we do, we "sacrifice" for other people in this brutal world. I don't want to give sermons but if anyone would take the time to read OUR history you will find that we are not the agressors, we come to the "rescue" , EVERY TIME! Hey tom what about vietnam? Well what about it?! We lost our will to fight, that's the ONLY thing that happened. We could have, if we would have wanted to, caused NV to capitulate very early in the war, but we didn't have the balls to do it. Well, we have the balls now, and folks this what we do. We did this in Japan and Germany after WWII. THAT was not easy, many, many US servicemen died during that time. It's what we DO!!
We will ALWAYS come to the aid of another country, and that's really what we did in Iraq. Don't delude yourself into thinking that this was a spur of the moment action. It is a well thought out plan, that when it works will transform the middle east like nothing has in thousands of years. Is it worth it? I'd say yes. By the way I was a 19 year old Infantryman in Vietnam, fought for a year in the jungle and I KNOW we kicked the crap out of the NV and VC. Our leaders just lost their nerve and we quit....dumb.

Freedom is only possible for all people when those with the knowledge to understand the concept of what living without freedom is like are willing to go. We, in America today, celebrate freedom without having to have paid the price in our lifetime. We only know what it would be like to have someone enter our homes without permission( or fly planes into World Trade Centers) and kill those we love because they have that kind of power. Those who are stronger must act to protect those who are weaker. Remember, many died so that you and I could have the Freedom we embrass or we wouldn't have that freedom either. God bless America and all people who, without such freedom, can't make that statement without fear as I can today. Thank you service men and women of the past for the price you paid that allows me the priveledge to exercise my Freedom.

The brutality described here has been going on forever in Iraq.It has nothing to do with our Military presence.It's sectarian hatred carrying on unimpeded for centuries. Before Saddam, during Saddam, after Saddam.It's cynical but it's the truth. To believe that our efforts and intentions will transform their Society overnight is to be naive.

We can fight this war here or there, because make no mistake if we cut and run they will repeat Sept.11, they will have the enire country to make plans, we'll loose what little intel. we've been able to put in place. And a lot of innocent people will die. To hear what happens in the street is heartbreaking, but would anyone rather it be here?

Isn't it necessary to delve into the origin of Iraq to fully understand how hopeless the Administation/s goals are. To the Library and seardh, Iraq,Mesopotamia,the Ottoman Empire. Unlike Syria,the territory that two hundred years ago was comprised of various religous tribes,each with it ouwn leader,predominately Shiite,Sunnis a substanital majority,Jews, Chrittians and Persians. So England drew a line around it and called it Iraq in order to capitalize on the oil, just like they did in Africa. There exists no loyalty, or patriotism in the invidals in this territory for the name Iraq Our administration klnows this nad is planning to stay years to develop what we took a coule of hundred years to achieve

I think we are seeing the onset of a world-wide clash of civilizations. Win or lose, peace or continued turmoil in Iraq, the clash will go on and escalate until a victor emerges. Let us only hope that that victory includes human liberty, an end to horror, and the stability that only mutual respect can assure.

There is no doubt that Iraq is worse right now. The battle is for power, something that was never in question in Iraq before the displacement of Saddam's government. Shiites and Sunni's lived as neighbors, now they do not.

RELEASE SADAM THAT WAS THE ONLY PERSON WHO COULD CONTROL THOSE ANIMALS.UNFORTUNATELY THATS THE TRUTH,BING BACK OUR TROOPS,

I guess it was a better time when Sadam could do this on his own without news reporters. Ignorance is bliss. The present sounds more like Chicago during the Capone years, but rather more serious than what the local cops can deal with. Is it suggested or claimed that our leaving will bring peace and happiness?

Isolationism is a fine position to take when you are on the safe of the bars at the zoo, but isn't that a rather selfish position to take in the "Liberal" view when we are all supposed to brothers?

Those pointing a finger at US policy would have much more credibility with me if these same individuals leveled as much criticism toward those intentionally murdering innocent citizens. It is getting tiresome to hear that any crime, no matter has terrible, can be justified because of something the US did or didn't do.

Chuck

The situation in Iraq is worse now than under Saddam. Under Saddam, murder was not committed on the scale it is now being committed at. Lots of Iraqis turned out to vote in their elections because they believed that it was a vote to get the US out of their country. We have destroyed their country! No, violence is not a way of life to the Arabs. All they want is a chance to run their country the way they want to, and not create a mickey-mouse democracy. i think that this much is clear from the last elections in Iran. We have to get out and now! This may or may not cause the violence to abate, but what have we got to lose - beside a few more americans dead and maimed?

Tom, be for real and study some history! It is comments like yours that lead people to caricature Americans as big fat and stupid. We come to the assistance of people - what about Zimbabwe, China, Tajikistan, Sierra Leone, Darfur, Saudi Arabia, etc where human rights are being trampled on a daily basis. Hey, Saudi Arabia is our buddy, the House of Saud being on first name terms with the Bushies! And so is China. If it were not for China, Americans would be running around naked. and China is said to have about 4 million political prisoners - along the lines of Gitmo!

Congressman John Murtha (a former marine) has called the war in Iraq an act of aggression, and so have a lot of learned people.

Vietnam, with unprecedented Chemical warfare (Agent Orange, etc) and we cut and ran. All that time there and y'all could not win the war, and today you talk about the leaders lost their nerve. The one that is dumb here is you!

I think we may be missing an important point here. Who are we to assume that democracy is the best fit for every country, regardless of location or religious majority? Democracy is not always "right". If the citizens of a particular country prefer a government based on the prevalent religion, does that make them "wrong" and a target for the U.S. to go in and fix (i.e., remake into our own image)? Just a thought.

In the name of freedom we try to help others, which in itself is a noble motive. If this country's resource where only butterflies, and had no strategical geographical value, would we rush to help them over turn tyranny? Great storys Mr Engel...

A few questions for any of you who wants the U.S. to pull out all troops now. Do you think that the killing will stop? Do you think that the Iraqis will be better off with out the American and other troops there? What do you think will happen between the Shites and Sunnis? I think that the "peace" of Iraq during Saddam was a peace of force. Simply put, Saddam and his people had the guns.

I also think we need to get our military back here. Our sons and daughters are not just dealing with a war, they are dealing with animals. These people are not civilized. Bring them all back alive. I don't see any of the polititions sons and daughters over there trying to stay alive, or them worrying about their children loosing their heads, or being skinned alive. These people are savages and our children should not be exposed to this. This is an outrage.

There is not end to this.....they are ruthless people.... Life is not important to them..... Fanatics..... And every time you have fanatics you have caos. Fanatics will do anything for their cause even if it is a wrong cause.
Whom ever stays there is looking for death!

ahhh....poor prisoners. Maybe the captured terrorists who love beheading thier own captives should be given steam baths and massages. It seems thats what all the liberals want. Force must be met with force. If certain elements need to be eliminated, for the greater good, then they should be taken out. And why are all these stories 2nd hand...

This is a prime example of people who use their religion to justify their immoral acts of violence. Power and control is all they want. They don't care about democracy, and most probably don't understand it in the first place. The only time they want democracy(so-to-speak) is when they themselves or someone they know become the victim.
Usually, in this world of our existence, what goes around comes around, and that is mostly due to the odds a person places on themselves by their own actions. Unfortunately, innocent people like kids and some others get caught in between and their lives are cut short by some fanatic that thinks he or she is actually doing something great, and that they will be rewarded in heaven. When it is all said and done, and everything is taken into consideration, it comes down to their own greed and selfishness, and if there is a god, I'm sure that he will reward them with hell, and if there isn't a god, then they denied themselves and more importantly others, their only gift of life. This is all because they believed in something they thought they were right about but didn't really know forsure.

Sadly for the Iraqis as well as we in the US, We get the government we deserve."

I believe we needed to oust Sadam,but our timing was all wrong! How do we invade Iraq , when we still hadn't captured or killed Osama? Now we are spread thin in the middle east and the Taliban are making more trouble in Afganistan.Finish what you start is the theme here.Our strategy entering Iraq was poor. We had no gameplan, not enough man power to guard areas from looting, dismantled infrastructure and it's all coming back to haunt us.I still feel like Bush was trying to get Sadam because his daddy couldn't.When Bush made his famous quote " mission accomplished" I knew we were in big trouble. I pray we can find a leader who can resolve this mess Mr.Bush has gotten us into. God bless and keep safe our service men and women til we find one.