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If you haven't already done so, make time to read Charles Krauthammer's recent speech before AEI. His reasoning is compelling. Sorry, don't have the link, perhaps someone can post it. Nothing about being the world's only superpower amid the war against terror is simple. We fight preemptively because we don't want another 9/11 here -- as you know. We don't have a choice. These people hate us because their lives are wretched -- thousands of young men with no jobs, no hope, ginned up by ranting clerics and tyrants who blame the US for their condition. They're fanatics, and they're not going away soon. What to do? As Krauthammer said (I'm paraphrasing here), clean out the worst of the festering mess and leave something hopeful...a fledgling democracy. It's a world war, no less than 1941, and I can't think families of wounded soldiers and sailors back then would have counted their sacrifices to have been given in vain. Of course we care about our forces today, we mourn each and every loss and wonder if the Iraqui people have any idea of what we're doing for them. Once in a while accounts of the progress we're making are published (not often enought), and I read a line or two from an Iraqui citizen, thanking us. I'd like to see them given a voice on Frontline, on PBS, on NPR, on CBS, NBC, CNN, too.

Krauthammer's reasons for why we are in Iraq are indeed the reasons. As I have always suspected (and they could be valid and true). However, they are not the reasons this administration used to justify it to the public. Typically Americans don't wan't to send their kids to die for intellectual crusades about making other countries democratic. That is why I suspect the WMD threat was pumped up. I think Bush had enough moral credibility to actually get Americans to sign on to such a war of "nation building" in the Middle East. I think he chose another route. Not to say he "lied". I think he did believe Iraq had WMDs. My 2 cents.