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"Prayers are important. And so is telling ourselves the truth. Iraq is a big mess right now. Change is required. The election has mandanted that. That's why Rumsfeld resigned. That's why President Bush's poll numbers are so low and have been so low.
It's time to take a sober look at the Middle East and what can really be accomlished there. In Jordan they have a strong man - a king - but he is not a butcher - perhaps a benign dictator in Iraq will work? - perhaps a loose federation of three autonomous regions - so that the Sunnis, the Shia and the Kurds are not expected to suddenly become saints and get along with each other - but each will live separately in a country that is called Iraq? Perhaps there are other answers.
But the bottom line is that change is now required. And we need to re-assess what is possible. My goal is that we leave Iraq as a better place than it was and a place that is not a breeding ground for terrorists. And importantly, that we leave Iraq a place where the Iraqis can find meaningful work, and raise their families safely and have rewarding friendships.... in other words a place where the Iraqis can do the kinds of things that people everywhere want to do."

BRAVO! A poignant, clearheaded and articulate statement. The above you penned should have its own thread, not Kristinn's "YOU WILL NOT QUESTION HOW BAD THINGS ARE IN IRAQ - IF YOU DO YOU ARE A TRAITOR" nonsense.

Thanks I appreciate the feedback. It is hard for people to take a clear-eyed look. I understand that. These are good people who are being loyal, I think. And that is admirable. But the time has come to swallow our pride and do what is right - respecting the beliefs and mindset of the Iraqi people as well as our efforts there and the electorate here.

And importantly, that we leave Iraq a place where the Iraqis can find meaningful work, and raise their families safely and have rewarding friendships.... in other words a place where the Iraqis can do the kinds of things that people everywhere want to do." BRAVO! A poignant, clearheaded and articulate statement.

are you kidding? the reason why things seem so bad in Iraq just now is that more Iraqis are killing each other. How does our leaving now facilitate "a place where Iraqis can, etc..."? Blame us for a lot of things if you must , but don't blame us for the upsurge of sectarian violence

Interestingly, in the recent FR poll only 7.7% chose "stay the course," while an overwhelming majority chose "do whatever it takes to win," which presumably means to change the strategy if need be.

10% called for cutting and running (2.2%) or to begin pulling the troops out (7.8%).

It seems most people realize there were miscalculations at the beginning of the war which dictated a flawed strategy that necessitates change. I pray the Bush administration will make the proper corrections, which in my humble opinion require more force, though I fear they will not.