You're right, Char. But they're not ready for us to leave just yet.

Who gets to decide that? The Iraqis say they are ready.

If they wanted us gone as bad as you say they do, then they would be rioting in the streets of every city and village, and guerilla fighters would come out of the woodworks.

Guerillas are coming out of the woodwork, and there are plenty of demonstrations of how much they want us to leave. Do you think none of the Iraqis living on the streets that are wired for IEDs know it? Most of them are quite happy to see Americans killed, and have no problem telling a pollster that when asked too.

Instead of only 3000 dead soldiers, there would be more like 30,000.

The US armed forces are the best trained and best armed in the world. Their tactics emphasize the minimization of casualties. They are attacked every day, but due to the armor, massive firepower, and consummate skill of the Marines and Army troops the casualties are way lower than they'd be for an ordinary occupier. When Nazi Germany and Japan were occupied, there was nothing like this level of casualties sustained. Oh, the Iraqis hate us, all right. Don't think they've forgotten how Reagan helped Saddam either. They know we don't have their interests at heart.

You guys like to paint it as a very bleak situation that has gotten way out of control, when in reality, its well under control, and Baghdad is the only place there is trouble. Look outside of Baghdad and you only have one small provence that is cutting up a fuss.

Please keep up with the news. Serious casualties are taken not just in Baghdad (home to about a third of Iraqis) and al-Anbar, but in Salahuddin, Diyala, and Nineveh provinces. Besides those Sunni areas, the "triangle of death" south of Baghdad is highly problematic. Najaf ignites periodically, and the Brits have all they can handle in Basra with the Shi'ite militias, to whom they've basically ceded the streets. Mosul is a powderkeg that frequently blows. Every indicator, such as bodies discovered, bombings, Coalition troop casualties, etc. has been trending worse. Does that sound like a situation "well under control"? Even in the calmest portion, the Kurdish areas, the two main factions have begun firing at each other, and nearly shot at US troops arresting Iranian agents ("diplomats").

You guys have blinders on.

As I just demonstrated, you're wearing the blinders.

You refuse to see the big picture.

Let's talk about the big picture. This was supposed to be part of the "war on terror". The effect of the invasion and occupation of Iraq has made the terror problem worse. Bush diverted resources from Afghanistan and the hunt for OBL (remember him?) to this optional adventure in Iraq. It was a colossal blunder, and we make it worse every month we stay.

Instead, you want instant gratification, which just won't happen in a war like this.

I expected no gratification from this horrible mistake. It turned out I was right. But you, who were wrong about it the whole way from WMDs to your clueless "well under control" statement in your last post, are lecturing me about instant gratification, as though you have a farkin' clue about what to do and what will come of it. You, Bush, and the rest of the bombs-away crowd ought to sit down and shut up, and listen to the folks who have been right all along when you were wrong. We can't deliver victory in Iraq any more than you can, but we won't deliver filled coffins back to the US the way you guys do.