Random thoughts on Iraq

I have two boys, so it's understandable I'm worried for them when they turn 18 and are figuring out what to do with their lives. Right now neither one of them shows an interest in joining our military. But.... ya know how it goes. Kids tend to do things that shock and surprise their parents.
I used to think that by the time my oldest turns 18, the war in Iraq will be done. Right now it does not look that way. It looks far from over, no matter what everyone says "we will end the war if I am elected" yadda yadda.

I was reading Sunday's paper. One of the articles hit it on the spot and looks like either we'll be there for a while longer till the people get their shit together or we'll just get the hell out of Dodge and leave them in their own little civil war and kill each other.

here's a snippet from one of the writers:

***It has been nearly six years since we began to re-establish democracy. Six years and the citizens of Afghanistan and Iraq have voted for the first time in a true democratic election; six years and Saddam is dead and his regime in shambles; six years and Osama has nestled comfortably into the hole in the ground where he belongs.
America has installed democracy before, in Japan, after WWII. It took decades, and now look at Japan's role in the world. It took decades to reunite the German country with democracy. It took nearly a century for America to develop the democracy that now keeps us free, and yet six years is too much to give for the part of the world that now needs it most.
***

full text of the articles are at: http://www.tbo.com/news/opinion/communitycolumnists/MGBUL3DPM6F.html

now, is democracy in a foreign oil-producing country halfway across the world really worth the lives of Americans? Why aren't we involved in Darfur? ummmm....... Are we, like, the mom who comes in between two feuding siblings? Except the mom don't get shot at.