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"You are suggesting that terrorists bombing and terrorists (militants) fighting is equal to babysitting."

Yes. We are providing security for people who should be providing security for themselves. If the Iraqi people want freedom and democracy don't you think it is time they stepped up to the plate and took care of it themselves?

We have done all the heavy lifting by getting rid of Saddam. So yes, we are babysitting a people who are too primitive to take care of themselves. Unfortunately, they show few signs of growing up, so all indications are that we will continue to be babysitting them for the foreseeable future.

you said; "By the way, this is the war on Terrorism. Until terrorism is defeated the war is not over."

The "war on terrorism" isn't really a war. It is like the "war on drugs" or the "war on poverty". Wars are fought with armies. Unfortunately, you cannot defeat a social problem with an army.

Just as there will always be people who refuse to work, or who insist on using recreational drugs, there will always be people who are willing to kill for some cause, ideology, or religion. Kill one terrorist here and another will pop up over there.

As with other social problems, one must keep up the pressure on the law breakers, and educate those at risk about the dangers of religious fanaticism, but armies usually do more harm than good in fighting terrorism.

It is natural for people to hate those who kill their uncle or knock down their house. The US army is killing a lot of uncles and knocking down lots of houses these days. In that respect we are playing into the terrorists hands. Doing their recruiting for them.

"The "war on terrorism" isn't really a war. It is like the "war on drugs" or the "war on poverty". Wars are fought with armies."

Let me see here. The title of this thread is "10,000 Troops Get Iraq Extension Into Next Year". This whole subject is about armies. Also, how are the Iraqis to fight a war with police? Do you really think that the military forces of Iraq are trained? They are only partially trained and that is with the help of a lot of other nations. This is not something that can be done overnight. Also, Iraqis were involved heavily in Fallujah as well as other places, but you don't think this is a war with armies, you think it is a social problem. Let me tell you what the social problem is here. The problem is that if we do not do Iraq completely either the terrorists will come fight against citizens over here, or they will take over Iraq and have a national budget to fight with. I do not like what is going on, but the alternatives are much worse.