This whole Iraq War issue is really getting to me, because there is little understanding on why it was a good idea at the time, and forget about all the WMD junk.

After 9/11 there was a feeling in this nation worse than Pearl Harbor ever had been. The hit was on the mainland, had tremendous press coverage, and the visuals shown over-and-over again all over the world placed this country in even more risk.

Hopefully, this analogy will help. You are living where there are several bullies, all who know each other and have a history of alliances against the peaceful folk in the neighborhood. Your kid comes home, having been beaten up by a couple of the bulllies, but he can't really identify specifically which ones did it. Your spouse gets threats as well. The way you fix this is you grab one of the bullies by the throat, beat the stuffing out of him and let it be known that you expect there may be others involved, but this bully is getting the punishment and there's more to be given out if your family has any more problems. The other bullies witness what happened to one of their own, and they back off. As neanderthal as it sounds, that's what works with that population, and it is all they respect and understand.

After 9/11, New York, DC and PA were our kids that got beat up. The bullies involved included not just al-Qa'ida, but those who support them logistically and provide safe havens. There was a public upcry wanting "something" to be done other than just waiting for the next set of atttacks to happen. Sobbing to the UN wasn't going to stop future attacks, but taking one of the bullies behind the woodshed and giving him what-for would do it. The US had to show the terrorist world that we wouldn't just do a bunch of defensive protections (e.g., setting up TSA), but would bring the fire-and-brimstone down upon those who would do us harm. The "you're either with us or against us" was really aimed at al-Qa'ida and its potential allies to show we would not be the international doormat, and that they hit the wrong target. We bite back, and deep.

All of the "where were the WMD" and that stuff just shows how folks don't understand the mindset of those who would do us harm, and what is needed to keep them (and those who may think it's worthwhile to get on their bandwagon) at bay. We have spent a lot off our resources on the Iraq War, and on homeland security at all levels of government, and it has worked - the bullies have bothered others, but have left us alone. The Brits and others have understood this, and that's why they have allied these years at no small cost to them.

So, all those who wring their hands at the Iraq War seem to have short memories on what the state of the nation was for many weeks after 9/11, and also no understanding of how to deal with terrorism - at the neighborhood or international level.

You can condemn Pres. Bush all you want, but he and his advisors understood the state of the nation, and what the state of the nation would deteriorate to should there be another significant terrorist hit. He get's my salute for his actions, knowing full well that the Michael Moore Media types would treat him badly.

I hope that Mr. Obama and his advisors have half the backbone that Mr. Bush and his folk have shown. Otherwise, "change" will be pretty limp, and the bulllies will sniff around our neighborhood again.