I had to jump in on this one...

Seems like people these days have the attention span of an MTV born and bred teenager. Somehow the radical Islamic terrorist threat has become background noise and a joke in a political fight that is stupid and irresponsible. Does anyone really think that a conflict of fundamental beliefs rooted deep in religion can be resolved through talking and glad handing (especially a religion whose expression includes suicide bombing)? Has it ever been resolved that way throughout our history? Newsflash to those of you who may have forgotten...You are HERE, free in America, because we went to war. You have freedoms and opportunities that don't exist in other countries because we went to war. How many wars have been fought in the last 150 years? I know we'd like to think that the world is a "kinder, gentler" place, but it isn't, unfortunately. There will always be someone else who wants to take it over. Converting it to their religion usually makes for the most dedicated fighters, too. Scary for those of us who have young kids to raise. Funny thing is, it is usually the same people opposed to the war in Iraq that also complain about our privacy and freedoms getting infringed upon in the name of national security. If we can't fight it there, and we can't fight it here, what do we do then? I am very interested to hear a well-formed opinion on what you would do, instead of just hearing why we shouldn't be doing what we are doing. If you can't think of anything, then SHUT UP. If we don't protect our nation first (which sometimes involves sending the military to battle or trying to figure out how the enemy maneuvers itself through our systems >gasp<), you won't have any privacy or freedoms to protect. Leaders aren't perfect. If you can do it better, get your name on the ballot and shout out your plan on CNN.

NONE of us have all the information. None of us sit in on the conferences that happen, or in every cubicle at the CIA or FBI and read every tidbit of info that comes across their desks (people who are just like me and you). We are ALL Monday morning quarterbacks, second guessing decisions that have to be made behind closed doors. Uneducated cheapshotting and punditry seems to have become the new sport these days, and the headlines conveniently change every 5 minutes. Just because the war hasn't been won in 25 minutes due to our "superior technology" doesn't mean that now it was the wrong thing to do. I happen to live on the fringes of the largest Middle Eastern immigrant community in the US. While the vast majority of them are peaceful (and want it that way), the radical Islamic threat is real and serious. This isn't a reality TV show, folks - America is different now. They know it, so should we.

Just one thing should be said about Leslie's comment's...

A BIG THANK YOU!!!!! Did you notice that all the Bush bashing came first and there doesn't seem to be any retorts to your posting.
Hit 'em with logic and common sense
and truth and they shut up. Unless of course all they have nothing to say but insults.

I completely agree with Leslie's comments and find them refreshing to say the least. Another point to be made is that the only real exit strategy with any war we are in is to WIN it. The only way this country has ever won any war is to get ugly about how we go about it. Unfortunately, the psuedo-intellectual left in this country will never have the stomach for that. Their concern is more for the enemy than our own soldiers and even our own country. It makes me sad to see how quickly people forgot the atrocities committed against this country on our own soil. We didn't ask for that to happen no matter what kind of twisted liberal logic is applied. The weaker we all collectively act and the louder the cry is against this country from the left, the more emboldened our enemies become. And no, this country is not in such a terrible state all because of George Bush and the GOP and all such verbal diarrhea. If this was your tax and spend free-thinker in the white house to deal with the terrorist attacks, corporate governance issues and the other host of extremely difficult issues that this administration has faced, they would likely be dealt with in much the same way, with the only difference being the silence from you people.

The whole coutry flip flopped on the war. 84% approved when it started and if WMD had been found those same 84% would be bragging that they was for the war. The whole world thought there was WMD.

We are NOT lucky to have leaders in office who used a nation's grief to launch a war of choice on Iraq, diverting attention from the Taliban and Osama in Afghanistan. In August of 2002 the administration essentially "announced" they were going to "launch a new product" (i.e. the next war) in September of that year. Every step from then until the beginning of the Iraq war the following spring was an orchestrated campaign to refute all evidence to the contrary, to "fix" intelligence around a case for war, and to launch that war.

There were no WMDs - as we were being told that by inspectors on the ground in Iraq - who we derisively dismissed because Bush & Co "knew better." They cherry-picked evidence, lied to the United Nations, and launched a pre-emptive, unnecessary war. Alas, no WMDs were found. Oh - and they pushed Generals out of leadership positions for having the audacity to say our plan for the war was not sufficient to win the peace.

Our errors have resulted in the horrors of Iraq. Contrary to Bush and company's continual re-writing of history, we have never had a plan or true end-game. At first we were waiting for flowers, then the dying throes of the insurgency, then elections, then the training of a police force, etc, etc. We've never even said what the objective is except to "win" or "stay the course" or "stand down as they stand up" - and various other vague but lofty phrases.

So now, today, what exactly is our role in the Iraqi Civil War. How does one country win another country's civil war? That's a neat trick - not sure there are any good examples of that in history.

As for Bush's premise from 9/11 on has been that "everything has changed." Well, I've got news for you. That is a coward's response. Apparently he - and many of you - think so little of the foundations of our nation that you honestly don't believe our values can survive modern threats. On 9/11 I wish to God we had had a President willing to say, "We as a nation are stronger than the attacks launched against us today. Our values are stronger, our people are stronger."

No - we never got that message. Instead we had a manipulative top-gun wannabe who gave up the ship and started dismantling our democracty in the name of security - finding ways to our nation's tragedy to do exactly what his administration wanted - and how to use the fear to win more elections.

Benjamin Franklin once explained that those willing to trade freedom for security will in the end have neither. That is exactly where we are heading, and it sounds like many of your are on board to shovel coal on that train.

As someone who served in our military, I will not kiss your *sses for your "superior knowledge" on the world and judgments on whom is worthy to participate in your debate.

As an American, I'll still retain my write to freedom of expression, thank you very much. And I think you've been drinking the koolaid to long if you believe "anyone else" would have made the same short-sided, arrogant decisions this administration has.

We could have had leaders who would be strong while believing in our values, not leaders who usurped power by denigrating our values.

Were Bush a corporate CEO, how long do you think he would be able to spend $6-9 billion dollars a month on a program that has no return. It's a cause that we can ill afford when our nation has so many issues that offer real value to our citizens. What's the role of government? How does this campaign benefit our population? $6-9 billion a month? Lives lost? 10,000 US servicemen injured? On a make-believe PR campaign? Are you kidding me?

If you really want to defeat the enemy in Iraq, whoever that is this month, send FEMA over for the reconstruction effort.

And Kerry is probably saying...Aren't I lucky I didn't go hunting with this warmonger vp.

Fact: This war split this country.
Fact: This war is a war of cultures and victory in the region is not obtainable.
Fact: Terrorism is not why we entered this war.
Fact: Those still supporting Bush's reasoning behind this war cannot envision any other possibility.
Fact: We are at greater risk from Iran, NKorea and illegal aliens than we are with Iraq (WHICH IS THE SAME AS PRIOR TO THE WAR).
Fact: Republican spin is prevalent in each of the Bush/War support positions above.
Fact: This isn't going to sink in to most of those unable to comprehend both sides of an issue.

who are we fooling, even kerry would have taken us to iraq, but would he have stayed the course, i think not because like in vietnam he was a coward each and every time he got a scratch he made superior officers write a report so he could go home. maybe he had a hot date with that commie jane fonda

"Aren't WE Lucky?" Who is Dick talking about? The wealthy elite? He must, because those who have lost their lives and limbs for Dick and George's war weren't so LUCKY!

""On 9/11 I wish to God we had had a President willing to say, "We as a nation are stronger than the attacks launched against us today. Our values are stronger, our people are stronger.""

Why John? Isn't that just another "vague and lofty" phrase that you said earlier in your post that we didn't need? While I may wish our President had words of encouragement for us like that, what happens after the talk? Doesn't it become just rhetoric then, too? Should we all have held hands and hoped that 9/11 wouldn't happen again? While I humbly appreciate your service to our country sir, I still have not seen anyone come up with a better plan, or any plan at all. I, too, have friends and family in the military, some who served in Desert Storm and some who are serving now in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are proud to be there. And though we are afraid for them, and we pray daily for their safe return, and sometimes in our darker moments we question why we have to be there, they (and those of use left behind) are committed and dedicated to our country and its (imperfect) leaders. We would be doing them irreparable harm to be shouting in the background that they are there for nothing...And by the way, a strong military are the ones to thank for retaining your "right" to Freedom of Speech, thus the opportunity to express it in these forums.

Brad - I question your "facts". A fact in and of itself cannot possibly include an assumption about what someone else is thinking or feeling....

John - What is the role of our government? Isn't that the beauty of our two party system? Each party fundamentally believes the role of the government is different. Moderates have blurred the line in recent years, but I'll bet my answer is different than yours. Who is right, then?

As I said before, no one has all the information, not even the people we think have it. It is OK and right to question them, but if you are going to bash them, at least have an alternative course of action!! Otherwise, you are just adding to the background noise while the rest of us are trying to work.... If some of you consider that arrogance, well - sorry about that. This is my expression of my 'Right to Freedom of Speech'...