The cold hard truth is there is no victorius end to this war. The only way to preserve our image of victory is to stay in Iraq forever.

How foolish is the argument that this carnage would be happening in our country if we weren't in Iraq? or the other related line that says they want to impose their way of life on us? The level of paranoia by some in our country is regretably absurd,do you really believe that we are in danger of Islamists invading America and changing our way of life? I ask you, do you honestly believe that can happen?

For the life of me I still to this day DO NOT Understand WHY we(USA) had to act immediateley when it came to Iraq?? Afghanistan, I understand totally. We teach our children to NOT settle our disagreements with violence but yet my son all of the age of 11 says Ma, "The world is really BIG right? So Why do people have to kill each other over land and other material resources? He is 11 and the answer I gave him was," I think that people get mad and make bad decisions and then it is too late to make things okay again because even he says we are still fighting about those airplanes flying into those buildings? I told him that while on the outside I believe that's what our government wants us to believe but it is ALWAYS MORE to the story and it is unfortunate that our government gets paid a 6 and sometimes 7 figure salary to do nothing but make things worse. I believe the average intellegent person on the street can do a HECK of a lot better than the President and the Government.
We will continue to pray for our soldiers caught in this mess and hope it ends soon. I really wish Bush will volunteer his life and his daughter's lives along with his staff and their family to go and fight in Baghdad and Afghanistan for two-four tours. Do you think they would do it?

Apparently this writer claims he does not know why people are being killed.If you notice there is not one mention of the word Sunni or Shite in this article.The aricle states that "Iraqis" are leaving the country. I doubt that the Kurds are leaving. We are told that there is a looming civil war. Between whom? There is deeper story here that I feel we are not getting.

Because we never been invaded by an other country that the reason we're all yapping about the situation in Iraq I wonder if Canada invade the US what would you do ?, I guess you would appreciate it and be happy, put yourself in their shoes and face the facts. Nobody wants foreign forces in his country. Instead of blaming thee Iraqis we should blamed our Government for not listening to other countries not to invade Iraq.

I am currently reading "Fiasco - The American Military Adventure in IRAQ" - by Thomas E. Ricks, where he writes that most of the problems we are now seeing in Iraq were predicted by professionals outside the Bush Administration before the war and those warnings were discarted by Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, et al., as being too pesimistic. Instead we were lead into a "U.S. led invasion that was launched recklessly, with a flawed plan for war and worse approach to occupation." Rumsfeld should be fired/resign (see his Senate testimony today where he still claims we had enough troops to do the job!! amazing), and the U.S., needs to start redeploying its troops out of there as Congressman Murtaugh has outlined (and no "redeployment" does not mean "cut and run" look it up). We have done enough damage, its all over but the killing.

I find it hilarious that people who support this war are prattling on about 'freedom'. Let us not forget the series of reasons for invading Iraq and deposing Saddam:
1) Iraq linked to 9/11 (proven false)
2) Iraq has WMDs (yeah, 40 year-old, ineffective ones)
3) Iraq is buying Yellow Cake for Nukes (The source for this was a known liar, and yet his information was used)
4) Oh yeah...Iraq needs freedom and democracy!

Sorry guys, this war is immoral and unethical. Period. Ends do not justiy means, and might should not be used to 'make right'.

Answer these two questions:
1.) Are the citizens of Iraq better off today then they were under Saddam?
2.) Do you beleive that other countries in the Middle East look to Iraq and say " I wish we had a Democracy like that one"?

This will all end when we cut off the snakes head, the suppliers to all the evil guys =IRAN. I hope we have enough sense do it before they get nukes, for my childrens sake.

A thousand mis-steps does a tragedy make.

From the Sunnis supporting an insurgency that would only empower their embittered Shia neighbours; to the Shia for failing to restrain the most radical militia elements within their community, thereby endangering their first chance to govern; to the current US administration for unbridled arrogance combined with either mind-numbing incompetence or, conversely, sinister 'this is exactly what we were planning' strategic thinking; and to the rest of the world - myself included - for the collective act of schadenfreude at seeing the 5 gallon cowboy/president get his come-uppance.

All the while, average Iraqis face death and destruction on a scale and pace that none of us could imagine or understand.

To the people of Iraq, I offer a simple wish: Salaam aleichem

The Clerics seem to control the people. Why doesn't the government (Iraq or US) employ them? They could be given projects to clean up areas and give jobs to the men. Maybe, if they (the Clerics) would promote peace and hope instead of the hatred, death and violence things could improve.

Years of parents feeding their children hateful messages about America are going to take years of war to protect us and our children. Make no mistake about it, we are vulnerable and in this war to protect our lives and the lives of our children for many many years to come.

My question is. Why does everything have to be absolute between the sects? Their religions are based on the same basic principles. Why not embrace the differences, and find a way to come together for a solution to the problems that both are facing. They are killing eachother. I could be cruel, and say "Good let them kill eachother, and the problem will be solved. There won't be any Iraqis left for the world to worry about." To be honest with myself, and others, I have to admit that part of me does think that way. I don't want any more troops to come home in caskets. Then there is the me that sees any loss of life, because of differences tragic. The world is not perfect, everyone knows this. We should as people learn to accept the imperfections, and work together on learning how to better understand them, and make the world, even if in a small way a better place for all.

what does one expect when a country overthroughs another peace or anacharcy? Give the inocents hope and pray that they resist the terror the fear. It is up to the Iraqis for peace. Are they willing to turn in their brothers and family if they are breaking the law? It is their choice.

I find I cannot pray for the Iraqi people, not because I don't want to, but because I don't have the faith that things will change. When Cheney visits the Army bases and receives a cattle-prod-in-the-back cheer from the soldiers who are mandated to be there, I have little hope that things in Baghdad will improve. We have lost not only the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people, we have lost the faith here at home in a country without any elected leadership.

I just watched the NBC evening news. There was a 10 minute segment on the Israel/Lebanon war, a five minute segment on doping in the Tour de France, several minutes on wind power, produce, etc. However, there wasn't even a mention of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and what's happening to our soldiers. How are we, the families of these soldiers to know what's happening with our love ones if these media outlets don't bring the news to us.

If there is an untold story - it is because the mainstream media has failed.

Shame on NBC, CBS, CNN and Fox. The soldiers and their families and the American people deserve better than what we are getting from these organizations. You all will soon become irrevelant if you continue to ignore what is important to us all. Nothing in America is more important than the wars we are in. Not Israel, not Lebanon and certainly not some stupid race.

It's interesting to see comments from average citizens still linking the September 11 assault on America with the war in Iraq. There is no connection between the two events. That was just an illusion created by Washington to get citizens behind a faulty "plan" for war.

"Bringing" freedom and democracy to other nations (without invitation) is similar to spreading communism or socialism...it will not work where it is not wanted. Witness eastern Europe.

Exxon/Mobil enjoyed record profits last quarter. The war in Iraq costs the American tax payer (and several generations to come) 1.6 billion dollars, or so, a week. Maybe we should send the bill to Exxon/Mobil. Maybe we should expect better progress from the military leaders for the money. Maybe we should invest that kind of money into alternative fuel research.

George W. Bush is an embarassment not only to Texas, but to all of us. If America were a private company he would have been handed an exit package some time ago. So would some of the so-called military leaders running this war. Our founding fathers must be rolling over in their graves!

We owe the people of this great nation and the people of Iraq much better. While we sit in comfort in the States, the Iraqi people pay for our idiot leaders with their lives. Imagine your city or town under constant seige by heavily armed thugs. Imagine how you would feel about the "liberators" who enabled those thugs to continue in operation.

Where are the people of Iraq who were elated to have Saddam out of power? Are they the ones who are fleeing their country? If passports are being issued at the rate of 8oo a day, where are these people going? Why aren't they defending their country from the terrorists? If they don't care what happens to their nation, why should we be defending it?

I am gratefull to NBC for showing what is happening in Iraq. I hope and pray that the inocent Iraqi people will some day feel the true meaning of freedom as we do. But I would like to remind everyone that probably 80% of Iraq is now much better off than it ever has been, and the other 20% is unfortuanatley still caught up in the civil violence and unrest they have always done. There has to be some way to reach them all. If not then they are going to have to be removed or supressed some how. They need to take a hard look at Kuwait, and Jordan as examples of trying to get it right. I believe in what we are doing is right and we should see it through. I think it will honestly get better when we take it as far as we can and then let the new Iraqi Goverment take it all over, because if it comes down to it, they will force them into doing what is right, even if it means for them to revert back to some of the tactics Huseien used to make it happen. God Bless our soldiers, the Iraqi soldiers and people, and the God bless our allies to. We are all in this one together.

A lot of good sympathetic comments have been posted. But what a lot of you fail to realize just as our present administration, we have no justifiable reason to be involved in this country's affairs. Not at the level that we are now engaged. It shouldn't have gotten this far. The present administration just keep shoveling it down our throats that we did the right thing. Prior to all of this our administration was pre-warned by our allies that we were going about this the wrong way. They neglected to participate and we went it virtually alone. Some of those who did participate have failed to come up with the promised revenues. We as a country are paying out of our shorts. We have to support our troops who are in harms way but not everything the present administration are dishing out to us. There has been some grave mistakes made in this effort that is costly for us, the Iragi community and the world. I have not once seen, heard, or read where the American people were appologized to for any of these mistakes. We are contuining being asked to sacrifice our dignity on a daily basis. For instance; Our utility bills are skyrocketing, our individual credit worthiness is being sacrificed just to make ends meet. Gas prices are just through the roof as well food and many other of our basic necessities. Not to forget healthcare for all. Should I go into our Tax situations, probably not because that a whole new issue. The list could go on and on but I suppose I'd better end this. There so much more I can interject. All of you are correct to suggest that we pray. We may as well find something to do while we are down there because we definitely are being brought to our knees as a nation.

This administration has created the biggest foreign policy disaster in the history of this country! When will we as Americans learn to ask critical questions before elections, and not settle for bumper sticker slogans? Bush has resolve, he's no flip- flopper! So we stay the course! Consequently, are children and are childrens' children will have to fix and probably fight this war again! You have to admire a president and party with that type of moral resolve!

i have a son who served in iraq for a year and is now out of the army,thank god !this was the most stressfull year of my life, and every family out their with loved ones in these horriable wars. every day i cry for our troops and their familys and every day i pray for gods intervention,i think we should inpeach mr bush but every one is so caught up in their own lifes that most just cant see what this is going to bring to america for years to come. i think we should bring our troops home,the iraqi people are so ungratfull,why lose our loved ones for a country were tring to help and they could care less ! all it is in the middle east is down with america, i really wonder what would happen if we just left.my heart goes out to the iraqi people and most of all the children . really in war no one wins and every body loses, julia

The networks like ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and MSNBC only portray the "Negatives" coming out of Iraq. Granted there are atrocities but there are also many good things as well. The major media types always hype the bad and bury the good in Iraqi related stories so as to further their leftwing ideologies. Why do you think our troops are so shocked when they come home from their tours of duty to only learn the media has turned a blind eye to their accomplishments and routinely censor the strides they are making day after day. I lost a brother in Vietnam and I have a son in iraq as we speak. I don't believe my brother's life was in vain nor do I think my son is fighting for a lost cause. Freedom is never "free" and helping a nation turn to democracy takes time, it doesn't happen over night! It took us nearly ten years to restore order in Germany after WWII and that entire time the NY Times editorials said the same thing they are now, that it was a huge mistake and that we'll never ever get out of there. If you ask me I am fed up with the major media types reporting "THEIR" versions of the events. Thank God for Fox News!

There are many more instances in the Army similar to what happened to the 172 Stryker Brigade Combat team (story above)....soldiers (moms and dads)away from their families even up to three years. This is causing great stress for military families, divorce and thousands of our military children are paying a very high price for this war. Also, here at Ramstien, Germany we see the injured coming back from Iraq, the "survivors". I don't think America knows the true costs of this war. Our VA hospitals will be caring for these soldiers, physically and mentally for several generations.

I think Sun Tzu's "Art of War" - II/4 sums both the situation in Iraq and our domestic political environment in a short paragraph:

"Now, when your weapons are dulled, your ardor damped, your strength exhausted and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue."

And we all know wisdom is not his best characteristic.

As the sectarian violence escalates, I fear the 130,000 troops we have in Iraq could be caught in all the crossfire. If our troops kill Sunni then the Sunni will attack our troops. If our troops kill Shia then the Shia will attack our troops. It is a no win situation for American troops. The mission is complete. We are now just a referee in a civil war.
It is time to get our troops out of Iraq and turn the country over to the new government and the 250,000 trained military the Iraq leaders say they have.