I appreciate and value all of your points, Jack, but at the same time I have some responses. How would I have felt if one of my loved ones were killed in the 911 attacks? There are no words to describe the emotion, I'm sure. But as sure of I am of the pain, I am equally sure of the person I am - and that person doesn't believe in fighting violence with violence, or trying to seek revenge for an act that won't bring back the person you miss. Further, what did attacking Iraq do to show these terrorists how dangerous we are? There were no Iraqis involved with the attacks on 911. That's where my question lies - so many of the unspeakable atrocities done by Saddam Hussein are still happening in other countries, countries we even consider close friendships. Saudi Arabia is a perfect example. Now, this is of course excluding the claimed nuclear weapons (and still I wonder where those are...) but strictly from a humanitarian point of view - Saudi Arabia is just as guilty as Iraq of treating their people horribly. There WERE Saudi terrorists involved in the 911 attack. Why did we invade Iraq? Give me better reasons than this administration. We wanted to show the world that yes, we are to be feared? Is this what you would do? Take it down to a personal level. We wanted to teach those terrorists a lesson? Why go after Saddam Hussein, why Iraq? I have yet to hear a good enough reason to go in and wreak havoc in the lives of the Iraqis. Call me a bleeding heart if you will, but I barely gave a thought to Saddam Hussein before he was captured - my mind and heart was with the average citizen, the ones that were losing their family members - just like we lost ours! - at our hands. I really struggle. I realize that their lives may be better in the long run, I appreciate that fact. But right now, their lives are hell, and I really wonder at why. Somehow, there must have been a better way, and perhaps if our president were not so war-minded he would have taken the time to find that better way. Just needing to prove that we are to be feared is ridiculous. Honestly, I'm amazed to see that you would write, "There is no appeasing nor hiding from those whose religion forces them to see all non-believers as infidels who MUST be killed." There are surprisingly few passages in the Qur'an that demand jihad, and as you well know, there are millions of Muslims who do not engage in terrorist activities. Their religion FORCES them? No, they believe their religion forces them. It's a crucial difference. That makes the decision a personal choice. There are Christians who once believed the Bible demanded holy war; in fact, Bush himself believes he is on a mission from God. How then, is Bush better than these terrorists, taking a religious idea too far? The whole thing confuses me.
The questions I cannot answer: why are we in Iraq? What made us the police force of the world? How did we come to regard ourselves as so important, as above the UN and other countries? I need good answers. I haven't heard them yet.