I was reading an excerpt from a Newt Gingrich speech - in which he was stating his opinion that we are in for a long war  - that the victory over the radicals will take years.

"If we leave Iraq, do you think Al Zarqawi is going to retire? Do you think after the victory parade of the people who hate us they're going to have fewer recruits? Do you think they are going to be less dangerous? Do you think Madrid, Amsterdam London, NY and Washington were accidents? The war is dangerous because it's not about an occasional car bomb or sniper - it's about the absolute danger that sooner or later the terrorists will get chemical,  nuclear weapons or biological weapons -- and then all of our freedoms will be at risk."

I agree completely with Newt's comments. If we don't address the terror campaign that the radical Islamists are waging , then what? Marc's comment about the importance of us having a having a powerful presence in their backyard yard makes sense.  We need to have a presence in the region and bring the fight to those who want to bring the fight to us.

If there is an easier, less costly-violent way to address this mess - other than just get out of Iraq as soon as possible - I am all ears (eyes?). The loss of innocent lives in this war is horrendous, I just don't think the world can afford to sit back and not take a pre-emptive approach to this situation.

Steve