This is, unfortunately, fantasy into the realms of psychosis. Bush doesn't have either the intelligence OR the humility OR the moral fibre to do any of this, or even to have any of this occur to him. In order to effect such reformation of an utterly corrupt, selfish, stupid, self-centered, spoiled, and arrogant persona, Christ would have to come again - in Glory only, as that is the only way it would have any credibility or effect on Bush & his ilk in office throughout the world. But dream on, by all means.

Well, let's hope that the psychosis that you believe these ideas border upon is based upon the doubts you'd have that Bush could (or would) ever do it.

I don't doubt that many of these ideas could be put into very realistic practice. And work.

I don't hear many leaders - Republican or Democrat - speaking about what's going to happen in Iraq when we pull out - - and we WILL pull out. Remember, elections are coming and Republicans like to win them. They'll soon claim a victory - a very hollow victory emptied of any values.

What is "victory?" If we are only talking about removing Saddam Hussein and leaving behind a civil war in Iraq, we have failed as moral people. We ripped open the curtain for terrorism in Iraq - recruitment's never been higher. Picking up military camp and leaving behind the shambles and rubble in Iraq for someone else to pick up isn't going to make us look like the "victory-kings" to anyone but the deluded - mostly to gullible Americans. In the Middle East, the hatred for our arrogance will increase, along with the abject poverty of the people. Leaving without a multilateral plan for the security of all Iraqi people, we will give Iran full opportunity to swarm in and defend the Shia while Saudi Arabia would defend the Sunnis. We may be leaving behind a prime opening for World War III.

I put myself in the place of a world leader - and I know damn well that I never could sleep a peaceful night again if I had done what I did in Iraq and left it in such turmoil - especially after the torture-stigma that became synonymous with America because of the wartime prisons. I would want to redeem America's reputation as a moral force in the world if I had made so many grave mistakes (which I am sure I would not have made to begin with). I would also convince the world that the American mission was based more on ethics, morality, and justice than pure Mammon interests (a la Halliburton, KBR, Oil, more Army bases, a swarming of new business ventures for American corporations while civilians starve, etc).

If we were really seeking to secure Iraq for its citizens, and doing it right, we would have sincerely sought multilateral cooperation from all willing nations long, long ago. It willl still be needed. The media will leave Iraq when the US leaves. You won't see what horrors the Iraqi people will still have to face when Arab brother murders Arab brother.

It may be easy for some people to sleep at night, after claiming a hollow victory in the name of sending our troops home, but what we will have been satisfied with is far less than what needs to be done to truly protect and defend America in the long run.

Immoral, unjust, increasing terror activity, creating and leaving behind unsettled (brutal) civil war while pulling out troops, and setting up a scenario for the next World War - I'm sorry, but these are not hallmarks of true victory. Not when you look inside your soul and think about your core values as a responsible human being. Do you think attacks will stop after our troops leave? Do you NOT understand that Sunnis may be slaughtered? Does anyone recall Bosnia/Croatia/Kosovo?

The Middle East will be prime territory for destabilization if we don't get it right - and soon.

Our troops could have and should have come home long ago. But another force - a global force - has been required for a long time. Our President has never been capable or willing to understand this and act upon it. He has turned the world away instead - and lost their trust - and has now lost the public trust.

I'm a patriotic American -and this sickens me.

The late Steven Vincent, a passionate American civilian/blogger/journalist who was killed in Iraq, would not have been satisfied with this kind of victory. I know it in my heart.

If we plant the seeds of democracy and wreak death and destruction in order to do so, it's our moral duty to see that the newly planted tender fields are not burned.

I respect Congressman Murtha for being frustrated with the progress of this war and asking for the troops to come home, but I am backing my ideas with a lot of reason that people can understand. I sense an absence of that from not only Democrats, but Republicans, too. Most Democrats engage in the politics of complaint - - while most Republicans coddle the poorest leader I've seen in American history. I wonder - - do any of them want to do the RIGHT thing - or do they simply want to look tough and win elections?

You answered your own rhetorical question: they only are interested in winning elections, by any means, fair or foul, and don't even hestitate to slander & smear one of their own party - witness the Bush smears of McCain or the GOP contender in the wheelchair (forget his name). The current administration & GOP are people with NO ethics, NO morals, NO honor, and NO qualms about doing whatever it takes to get power & keep it, be it lying, stealing, and even murder (a lot of us consider sending US troops to unnecessary war via lies to be 1st-degree).

it would be nice if we didnt have to have a war in iraq. but they were a threat, and I am glad we are making a DIFFERENCE there. I did NOT forget that we DID give Iraq WMD's to fight Iran in the early 80s. did you?

I think they used them all when they tried to invade Kuwait, so ergo they didn't have any more left. I still think we could/should have just 'taken out' Hussein "privately" (i.e., yes, via assassination a la Pat Robertson) or better yet, if Bush Sr. had finished the job instead of only authorizing a half-assed campaign for Dubya to bungle 10 years later. Ah, well. Hindsight is a wonderful, 20/20 thing, I suppose.

The right thing would have been to realise that you can't remove a ruling power and not have to follow-up with nation building.

Otherwise you rolling the dice that the country might revert back to the way it was, or possibly end up with somethign worse.

So Bush is stuck. He can't leave without a chance the new government becomes a Theocracy in the next 5 years. And he can't stay because there is no political nor public will to stick it out for the 10-15 years it would probably take to ensure the current level of democracy in Iraq succeeds.

What about bringing in Europe? Why would germany and France go in now. All the big contracts are already gone or promised to American corporations. Any oil that is not already spoken for by the states, while valuable, is not worth the political headache any politician would face for going into Iraq now.

What about the UN? Sure. The UN will take over as the UN can. Which basically means, get the fuck in line. The UN already has its tiny hands full with fledgling democracies all over Eastern Europe and Africa. They'll help, but they cannot assign the resources needed to ensure Iraq doesn't ditch democracy in favor of a Theocratic regeme.

In an ideal world you have a lot of great ideas. But countries don't just send troops for the fun of it.