Retired Army Gen. Carl W. Stiner minced no words about the need for the United States continued presence in Iraq at the annual Lincoln Day dinner Friday. ``We're facing the most crucial time in the nation that I've seen in my lifetime,'' said the veteran, who added that the war on terrorism began long before 9-11. Stiner, who was introduced by U.S. Rep. James J. Duncan Jr., spoke in a packed William Blount High School cafeteria. The fund-raising dinner was hosted by the Blount County Republican Party. Stiner maintains that the global war on terrorism, which he said has been...