I like your ideas Jim. However, I think the Iraqis are paying the price because other countries are refusing to participate in providing security in Iraq (in any substantial way) because of the war itself and how it started. In other words, the world is stepping back and letting the U.S. fail - fine except that the Iraqis are the ones to suffer, not us. I think at this point in time, all UN nations should provide ample security forces to support the Iraqis and provide the security they need during this timeframe. Let the new government then have the security required to get done what it needs to. The average Iraqi is not upset about Sadam being gone but mostly furious and frustrated about the lack of power, running water, sewer systems, and basically risking their life driving to/from work (if they are foturnate enough to have work). Regardless of whether or not the U.S. was wrong, the Iraqis are suffering in their new free world and they need support. We cannot walk away now because the Iraqis will pay the price. It would be nice if the right thing could be done by all countries. You cannot sit back on your laurels and state "you made the mess, you clean it up" when so many innocents continue to suffer and will suffer more if we walked away.


>>>Mike, if you think the Iraqi invasion was in any way, ever, about Iraqi freedom, you are even younger than I thought.
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>>How many of my posts have you read in this thread?
>>
>>
>>>These bozos have led us into a disaster of the first magnitude. What I don't understand is how they managed to do so with the blind support of so many who supported the war (and continue to support it despite all evidence) simply because they see themselves as conservative Republicans. What dupes.
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>>So what do you think shoudl be done? What's the next step for America?
>
>Dump Rumsfeld.
>Dump Cheney.
>Dump all members of the defense advisory board.
>
>Have the new folks make a plan, that includes sufficient troops to make it work, to re-establish security in Iraq and to re-establish the entire infrastructure to AT LEAST the state it all was prior to warring.
>
>When both have been accomplished, leave.
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>No need for a timetable for objectives. Just get on with it, get it done, then leave.
>
>cc G. W. Bush