"Might makes Right" seems to be the mind-set of those who support the United States' incursions into Iraq and other meddling with foreign nations.

I think the USA should stop playing games with other nations. Stop for five years. If we are truly needed as 'World Police', the world will ask for our help.

It is my opinion, that nobody wants our 'help', but because we have the biggest stick, they don't like to say no.

My Son is one of the 130,000 currently serving in Iraq. I agree with Bill Corcoran that the news media should be covering the War in Iraq as diligently as they are covering the Middle East Crisis. I also agree with the “other” Susan Miller in that our media has a profound influence on our image both at home and in Iraq. Perhaps our image would improve if reporting on some of the positive developments happening in Iraq was pursued as strongly as reporting on the devastating ones. And yes, according to my Son, some of the Iraqi people still consider us “Heroes”. Please support our troops in any way possible but especially through prayer.

After all the effort, money, lost lives, horrible injuries that the USA has incurred to date, if we were to leave tomorrow the new government in power would be nothing more than an Iran Step Child and most of the Iraqi's would hate both the USA and Israel. What a fiasco this has been. Maybe if 43 and Cheney had served their country in Vietnam and seen how war is the last choice they would have know better.
As David Gerden said the night the war started, IT IS A LOT HARDER TO STOP A WAR THAN TO START ONE.

There are too many deep seeded issues here for there to be any simple or even logically feasible answers at this point. This has been set up by our own government, one that DOES NOT listen to its own people (and yet "we" justify "our" actions to further Democracy - show me the Democracy (please read Harvey Wasserman's 'How the GOP stole the 2004 election and is rigging 2008') The situation in Iraq (and at home and the opinion of the Us worldwide) are far worse than they were; yes we would all like to see a better world, but what we are doing does not improve it unless we take into consideration all accounts before we take action (storming through the mideast gunsa blazing- never mind completely ignoring the UN and countries that once respected and were Allies (will we have any left? How many years will pas before we have our honor and dignity back. How long will our people not feel safe outside of our country. How many of our children, brothers and sisters must die in unnecessary war - thanks Mr. Bush)
And please do not confuse my disgust with our meddling hands and ignorance with the support of our troops! I have family and friends in Iraq who have served much longer deployments than they were told (or signed in their contract for that matter). I support THEM completely, this was not their choice (their words as well) to fight a war that was not necessary. 2 that previously served in Afghanastan both agree that they strongly felt it was the right thing to do (they strongly felt while there the people WANTED them there.)
Israel is blinders for us so that we will not continue to voice our dissent about our President's (and his regime) cowboy tactics and hunger for whatever they're trying to accomplish (power, money, oil, statigic military positions, etc.) This situation is far from over, and yes we cannot if we have any dignity or honor left pull out of a situation that we have blundered. If we make a mistake - ADMIT IT - and fix it as best one can.

Remember 911?

We are keeping the war from our soil, and putting it where it belongs.

We are giving the terrorists another playground besides LA, Chicago, and NYC. I would rather it stay over there, not here.

About the war - I have only this to say - since invading Iraq, have there been anymore 9-11 events?... There you have it.

How can this have happened? I am so ashamed of the actions taken in my country's name. I hold the Bush administration responsible for the deaths of my fellow Americans who honorably went where they were told and had lives, limbs and wholeness ripped from them. How did Bush get re-elected? Where are the people that voted for someone who lied to us all about Iraq's threats? How could so many be so blind as to think this man had our nation's best interest in mind? I pray for an end to the bloodshed.

All i get is that this is pointless, and you know what?
It IS.

It's obvious that the American people have been led down the path by a group of heartless politicians whose only agenda is to enrich themselves and their companies. Undoubtedly this administration will be remembered as the single most corrupt in American history. If, (and it's a big if) America can recover from this 6 years of corruption, it will be only because of the strength of the American people, certainly not it's leadership. We have to start now to win back our country...and that begins with the mid-term congressional elections. Make no mistake, the upcoming elections could possibly be the most important in our history. Please...think about what needs to be done and return the congress to true representatives of our contry and not the right-wing wackos that think all of our problems can be handled with force. It's no longer true. We need leadership who understands that military power will never again bring peace to our world. Listen to the people...we need to return a balance in congress that will stop this idiotic administration's approach to world problems.

We have tried to liberate Iraq. We have tried to Give the Iraqis the chance to have democracy and a chance at better lives.
I JUST WONDER WHEN THE WORLD IS GOING TO ACKNOLEDGE THAT OUR TROOPS AND HEROS HAVE DONE THEIR JOBS, DETHRONED A DICTATOR (MURDERER)AND GOT IRAQ THROUGH 3 ELECTIONS. WHEN WILL THE WORLD SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE MUSLIMS KILLING OTHER MUSLIMS. ITS QUITE APPDERANT THE ONLY MUSLIM LIFE MUSLIMS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT WHICH IS TAKEN BY U.S. MARINES AND MILITARY.
OH AND TAKEN BY ISRAELI TROOPS WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR EXISTANCE. How many muslims have died by the hands of others in the same religion? Hezbollah and terrorists are not condemned by the world - Just the USA and Israel are not allowed to kill for there safety!
Am I crazy or to logical?

I read these blogs during my lunch break and I am growing thinner..not from the content of the writing but from the shear numbness that occurs from reading. We meaning most American people will never benefit from the war in the middle east. Only the already powerful and dirtily rich will see any good come from it.Oil is not worth dying for but then those who are putting our military children in harms way so that they can continue to suck the last dime out of hard working lower middle class people just dont care. If you make 5.00/hr and pay 3.00+ at the pump you dont have much incentive to go to work. But the oil kings are seeing record profits and blatantly spreading the news of them all over the papers. We have avenged the death of our fallen 911 people by capturing Sadaam he is getting his day in court now lets get after the rest of the terrorist and leave Bagdhad to rebuild itself. Eventually things there will take care of themselves if you dont think so just ask them Ali will come for them and they do beleive. I say its time to get out and cut the finacial cord that runs to our president and members of his staff and there fat cat friends.

Replace the word democracy with the word capitalism and it all begins to make sense. American citizens are slowly stirring awake to realize that their government is operated by corporations. President Bush is akin to Prince Charles, minus the good manners, and eloquent mind. If you want to know who is making policy in this country, who is deciding our foreign policy, and who is publishing the briefs recommending the next chess move in this game called globalization, then you must research the think tanks that supply these decisions and recommendations to our "elected" leadership. Ask who funds them. Follow the money. No one wants to look behind the curtain, because it so much easier to blame "The Wizard". Research the word "externalities" as it applies to corporations. Monies from the public trust have funded this war and corporations will benefit the most financially. Creating an economic avenue into the Middle East is expensive, but if corporations, through control of the government, are able to externalize the costs of building these new economic inroads by utilizing monies from the public trust and the use of the military, then their costs are minimal and they only stand to profit. Research the contracts that have been signed for the rebuild of Iraq. This is not about democracy. It is about spreading free markets so that corporations can swell their bottom lines and appear ever more attractive to shareholders each quarter. It is about economic exploitation. Forget the oil, it is not about using the oil, it is about controlling it. The idea is to become a power broker in the area. It places Europe, Russia, and China at our economic mercy because we will control the shut off valves on the flow of oil out of the region. It is not about discounts on gasoline for American drivers. It is about power. Billions more will be made in the rebuild. Ask yourself if this makes more sense than the democracy propaganda we have been listening to for four years. Do you really think the United States plans to allow free elections to take place in Iraq. We are not that sloppy. Elected leaders will be the "Yes" men that we have approved. They get to lead. We get to control the oil. That's world politics folks, it is not about freedom. It is about power. Unfortunately, the have not's are suffering in the midst of these struggles just as they always have. My sympathy goes out to each and every Iraqi citizen caught in the middle of this power struggle. I can see and hear your tears from half a world away, and you are not forgotten.

Reading these comments, I think we all need to take a step back and really think on what it would mean, globally if the US were to retract it's troops. Although, it will save lives now, do you really think those who are responsible for these bombings on streets are going to stop once they are left free to roam. Think teenager in a huge house alone with the keys to the car and no one to stop them. It is not an easy task and maybe the initial military invasion should not have happened but now that it has it is important to see it through. Also, I agree that this war was for oil. In a way, those who control oil controls the world. If we really think on how many things are made of oil, not just gas, the worlds dependency on that resource is alarming. I see the situation in the Middle East similar to Cancer. Keeping tabs on it is important whereas if we were to let the Cancer spread, the situation might get to the point where it can not be reversed.

The trops and the US army have caused alot of damage to iraq they were supposed to protect it not to get it to this stage they are raping our girls and killing them after that killing all their families killing young children is this freedom is this protection??? where is the peace that they mentioned it when they entered iraq? there must be a solution some one must speak up and do something about it they got it to this stage and they must return it like it was......

I dont know if we should leave or send more guys but I am pretty sure we didnt go to steal oil...More likely the opposite. The weapons inspectors were coming up empty and the sanctions would soon been lifted..too much oil on the market would have raised havoc on profit margins...

Dear Treasure of Baghdad, I would like to remind you that it is not the fault of our troops. It is the fault of our government. They are merely there to do their jobs and you're right. We do cry for them. We pray for them. We also pray for you and your people. We want the war in Iraq to stop just as much as you do. Maybe instead of focusing on placing the blame we should focus on the problem and fix it. Believe me, the love of my life and quite a few of my friends' husbands are there and we would all love nothing more than for them to come home.

I use the internet for news on cuurent events. Today was the first day I noticed my attention being averted from the stories of death; by an advertisement for wonderful exotic vacations. All on the same page. It cocerns me that catching up on the latest atrocities is becoming the same as looking to see who won yesterdays baseball game.

People: Our sons/daughters in the 172nd Styker Brigade (Fairbanks Alaska) headed for Baghdad instead of coming home thank you for your prayers of faith! Open your eyes to the greater struggle, see beyond your own life's experiences. Think--what if the oil in the Middle East were all controlled by Hezbollah, Al-Quaida etc etc? Would you feel any better walking to work instead of driving? Would you enjoy watching only the wealthiest people driving vehicles while others were forced to take the bus? Very few of us seem to like the idea. There are more ways to hold us hostage than we would ever care to know! If we are not fighting the violent ones, they will find a way to take power/control away. Picture this country with the 1920's mobs in control today. So we fight the gangs here, we fight the murderer's there. It's all part of the real world now. The effort goes on, the brave must test themselves, it will never be "finished".

no one can change things in Iraq except the Iraqi people...when they wish for peace...there will be peace.........Until then Bring our people home, it's not our place to monitor a civil war of another nation

My fear is the whole region is in turmoil....is this the start of WWIII?..it seem to be what the extremests want....I don't think they read their bible {koran} right...or maybe they can't read and Osama read it for them!

The media should not be blamed for what is going on in Iraq. They are reporting what is actually happening, not what the government wants us to believe. Perhaps Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, and Rush Limbaugh could go to Iraq and report all the good we are doing there.

I just finished readiing all these blogs, and most of them I agree with. BUT, read agin what T. Neroda of Los Angeles said... I think that is closest to the truth...
Money and corporations are what it is all about, profits not freedom. Freedom sells votes, profits sell shares...

In the beginning of this iraq mess,we were after bin ladin. some how we forgot all about him and old george figured he would finish what he father could not. well he messed up too. if they were to turn saddam free and give him back his country i'll bet the fighting would stop in less than a week.

We can't undo this horrible mess by stamping our feet or by staying in Iraq or even withdrawing from it. That is why we need to select leaders who possess wisdom and reject those who fill us with happy talk. 9-11 has been going on every since the actual fateful day. We have lost as many service people in Iraq as we did when the towers fell in New York. Billions of dollars are being drained weekly from the deficit United States Treasury to fuel a rapacious thirst for military supplies. This is borrowed money that we do not have a mechanism to repay because no one wants to pay more taxes. The Government pays its way with money that it gets. Taxes. Even if this nightmare adventure dissapeared tomorrow the U.S. will be financially torqued for years to come. 9-11 probably cost several billion. U.S. efforts to tamper in the middle east will cost a trillion. We have done more damage to ourselves that all of the assembled hosts of terrorists could do. This is all because we are relatively wealthy and fearful people. There is no forgiveness un us; only a selfish instinct for self preservation. If the citizens of this country wish to expend great wads of money it should be directed at making the lives of those who hate us and envy us better. Humanitarian aid should be our #1 export, not weapons. There has been much suffering in the Arab world. To break the cycle of violence someone must forgive. Forgiveness means that we cease to be a continuing target for retribution because we remove ourselves from the cycle of violence. Sure, that may mean thet we suffer for a while but when the next generation hits the planet they are not able to point at some evil in us to hate. We must quit allowing the paranoia that accompanies fear to cause us to look at others on the planet with self preserving calculation. We must prove that we are decent human beings and that means that at some point we can't permit ourselves to become consumed by the same kind of hatred that is directed at us. We are not going to find the path out of chaos until we consider forgiveness, lay aside fear, and recognize that our humanity drips away like blood from an open would when we hate. It may provide the zeal to take the lives of our 'enemies' but it takes that same life from us. Armed with a proper perspective we might be able to see with sober judgement what it will actually cost and how we can acomplish a new direction in Iraq where moms ans dads live daily with their hearts in their throats, unable to protect those who depend on them.

I love the quote from this article: "It was like a warzone."

Please, slap yourself. Once for being stupid, and then twice for writing that down.

Earth to NBC local journalist in Baghdad, IT IS A WAR ZONE.

This isn't even news reporting. Seriously, MSNBC, NBC, whatever you are, get with the program. This phony blog crap isn't cutting it.

I have/was a loyal reader for well over 5 years and even I don't buy the garbage you are selling. I have moved on as a lot of your readers are doing.