There are 140 000 American troops in Iraq. Just contemplate that number for a moment. 140 000 of America’s most promising and patriotic young citizens are far from home, in harm’s way, the targets of brutal fanatics whose values and philosophies are worlds apart from our own.

This is by far the most pressing issue the electorate needs to weigh, and you can bet that mainstream America is going to be weighing it come November 2008. Why so many people in the Democratic part don't get this, I cannot understand. I think Barack Obama is a wonderful asset to the party, but is this really the man who is going to clean up the dreadful Iraq mess and lead America back to a state of security? Does he really have those qualifications?