It's all about US.

For those of you who don't know, I didn't support the invasion of Iraq back in 2003. We had no solid proof that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and the connection to 9/11 was shaky at best. I'm hardly a pacifist, but I do think that you only go to war when there is a certain threat and you go in to win. Iraq was only a certain threat in the minds of a few neocons.

You'd think I would be all for getting the hell out of Iraq ASAP, but I don't. It's not that I support the war or anything, but I tend to think that we are to blame for the state Iraq is in now and we have to do what we can to set things right. I have no idea what that means, but we have to think about what's best for the Iraqis NOT simply what helps satisfy a political base.

You know, from the beginning, this war has never been about the Iraqis. Both pro-war and anti-war have never really cared about the actual people who live in this country. The invasion was done for political reasons and the urge to withdraw is also political.

Both the White House and the Democrats are dealing in delusions. The Bushies believed that they would be greeted with flowers and are still telling us that we will face another 9/11 if we pull out. The Dems seem to think that if we pull out everything will be fine. Both side have their own version of reality and they are not planning to change their minds. In my humble opinion, both sides are full of it.

I don't have any easy answers here, but we need to think about what is best for the Iraqis. That means that both sides have to own up to some sense of responsibility. The fact is, even though the Bush Administration invaded, he did so with Democratic support and the support of many average Americans. We have to start seeing that Iraq is America's problem, not just the problem of one adminstration. Democracy isn't just about rights, but about responsibilities and we, the United States have a responsibility to help Iraq. We broke it, we have to fix it. We can't simply leave 26 million people to a fate we created.

Having said that, we also can't continue to send our sons and daughters in battle without some plan. The Bushies say we need to keep fighting, but offer no plan on how to at least bring some stability to country and then pulling out. And no, the "surge" isn't a plan.

I get mad with Democrats who talk about the fact that Iraq is in a civil war and we have to leave since we can't be engage in a civil war. Well, Iraq would not be in this position had we not invaded. That's evading responsibility.

I get mad with Republicans who try to scare people into thinking we have to stay to prevent another 9/11. Please, there never was a connection to 9/11 and our staying there isn't going to stop a 9/11. If bin Laden and his ilk want to attack us, they will do so, regardless.

I wish both side would get off of their collective high horse and work together to find a solution that will help our troops and the Iraqis. Some say that there needs to be a political solution to the current mess on the ground in Iraq. I think we also need political solution in Washington as well.