It was three years ago this month that President Bush ordered the initial air campaign against Iraq. Shortly after the intense bombardment, a general invasion led by the United States commenced. The fall of Saddam Hussein's oppressive regime soon followed. Things couldn't have gone better.
Since then, things have gotten complicated. Reconstructing Iraq has turned into a much more difficult process than the Bush Administration had anticipated. Billions of dollars have been spent and thousands of people have died. But this is a war, and war is not easy or fun, and it's usually not short.
The United States is fighting tooth and nail to bring democracy to the people of Iraq, and it is engaged in a very serious battle for control of the country. But I am confident that the United States will be able to succeed. We have the technology, the military, and the leadership.
However, the United States must remain resolute through these difficult times. It is undeniably essential that the United States stabilize Iraq before leaving, which will allow the country to have a legitimate chance at a continued success. If the United States succumbs to pressure to withdraw early, all will be lost.
The United States owes both the American soldiers and the countless number of Iraqis who have died complete and total vindication. This will only come with a stable, democratized Iraq. There is no time for second thoughts or protest. The United States must move forward because the fact of the matter is that the United States overthrew the government in Iraq, and it has an obligation to ensure that the new government has adequate control before it leaves.
As the United States continues to battle the insurgents in Iraq, neighboring Iran is actively seeking to exploit the situation to its own advantage. There is now a preponderance of evidence that suggests Iran has intended for quite some time to construct a nuclear weapons program that could certainly threaten the United States and its allies, especially Israel.
While many people may be tempted to rule out military action against Iran, the United States must take the appropriate action to protect its interests and its people.
Iran has already publicly denied the Holocaust, instigated cartoon-related violence and called for the annihilation of Israel. Most recently, Iran has promised the United States "harm and pain" for its efforts to push the international community to confront Iran on its nuclear program. Underestimating the potential destructive power of a nuclear-armed Iran would be a grave mistake. It is not something the United States can risk.
Many people have expressed confusion when attempting to explain the rhetoric and action of the Iranian government these past few months. Why is Iran not cooperating with the United States when it knows that very similar behavior led to the invasion of Iraq? Why attempt to escalate the situation?
These questions are difficult to answer, but I can offer one explanation. The leaders of Iran are either clinically psychotic or they don't actually believe the United States will attack Iran. Just recently, a "suicide bombing school" in Iran threatened to send thousands of Iranians into Iraq should the United States attack the Iranian nuclear facilities.
The Iranians are certainly counting on the United States to acquiesce. This is exactly why the United States must remain resolute and not negotiate. Giving in is not acceptable.
So where does the United States go from here? How should it proceed in its dealings with Iraq and Iran? First, the United States must seek to stabilize Iraq and secure its borders, but it cannot leave until this has been done.
Most military analysts claim that Iran is already actively participating in the insurgency in Iraq, so the maniacs running the government in Iran can spare me their threats. They are already doing everything they can to maximize the chance of democratic failure in Iraq.
I do not advocate the abandonment of diplomacy, but if Iran fails to negotiate a settlement that is acceptable, then the United States must again have the courage to step up to the plate and remove the threat posed by Iran.
