[larrydube]

Should we be in Iraq? I can't answer that question and I was there. My National Guard Unit was activated in 2004 and I was given a pass because of my age (57). But, I fought that decision because it was not right that the younger guys should go and I wasn't. Did I go because of 9/11 or because I thought they had WMD's or that I believed in George? No, I went because we were told to go. As a member of the armed forces (even if it wasn't regular army) I had to do my duty.

Do I think we are welcome in Iraq? Not in the least. Are we doing good things over there, damn straight we are. There are things that our people do over there that never make the news. Are we helping to rebuild the country? Sure we are. But, (I agree.... at what a cost). We are in the middle of a conflict that is older than we can believe. Will the Sunni's and the Shiites ever be able to live in peace? I really don't know.

We are trying to rebuild a country while ours needs rebuilding also. What do we do about New Orleans? I spent a year in Iraq and then 5 months after getting back I spent 2 weeks in New Orleans. And look at it now... still not rebuilt, still not recovered, but we are still in Iraq. Can we do both? It doesn't appear so, or New Orleans would be rebuilt or at least well on its way.

Should we be in Iraq? I don't know. What I do know is that we should (and we are) support our troops that are in harms way and we should keep on asking these type of questions.