Yes, I would say it's an improvement. It would also be an improvement for the people in Chad if our taxes were raised by 100% and the money was sent over there to feed them. Are you in favor of that?
You need to take the longer view. Chad has no strategic importance, Iraq has enormous strategic importance. The investment there in the heart of the Middle East will pay us back a hundredfold if it one day breaks the back of Islamic terrorism. Iraq is now a friendly country--as is Afghanistan--an ally in the war against terror and a neighbor of Iran, a friend to terrorism which already is on the verge of revolution. If Iran tips and the mullahs are overthrown, there will be a huge dividend for the US in terms of longterm peace. Most of the news you get on this is short-sighted and outright biased.