A point that I would make is that not only is this War Winnable (and we're seeing greater success than I would have predicted last year) but it is of great necessity that we do so.
There are various aspects to the War on Terror and Iraq is one part of it. It is an incredibly important part of it because a successful democracy in Iraq is the greatest deterrent to islamist tendencies and particularly to Iran that we could possibly achieve in today's world. I explain this in my "Know Your Enemy" Series: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/know_your_enemy_series/index.html
Some have coddled up to Ahdiminjihadist and Iran, not because they agree with him but because they hate us or find a political slogan in it. But it holds no greater value than did the coddling of the Branch Davidians by right wing extremists. Neither Koresh nor Iran can be justifiable causes when one looks at the civil and human rights issues.
The enemies we face today are more evil than the enemies we faced in centuries past because civilized nations have found better ways of resolving disputes between them, but they have a duty to their fellow man to not continue to turn a blind eye to tyranny and terrorism, EVEN when it is the opposing political side that embraces DOING something about it.
This is not to say that we (or the civilized world) should embark on a few decades of war but that when we have embarked on the path of war, we must ensure that the people of those Nations freed are afforded the opportunity to realize their freedoms and choose their politicians to lead them.
The people of Iraq have proven they want freedom and democracy. There are more members of the Iraqi Security Forces than there are insurgents, criminals and terrorists opposing them. But just as a few psychopaths exist in the US and crime continues because of the minority of people who commit it, Iraq still feels violence because of the few that desire to establish a new tyranny in Iraq.
Currently, those few are operating at the behest of the Iranian government and a lesser number are operating at the behest of Al-Qaeda. The Iraqis have stood up but the numbers alone are not sufficient. The current step is to further their ability.
With growing economies in Iraq, Turkey & Afghanistan (all democracies on the borders of Iran), the best possible future of Iran is that its people will reject the tyranny that suppressed their economy even while oil prices have risen.
With the continued generoristy and fairness of our Troops being felt in Iraq and Afghanistan, the liklihood of the enemy propaganda having an effect on 'average muslims' is increasingly reduced and with it comes a decreased possibility of recruiting terrorists from those that have benefitted from the interactions of our Troops.
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