The war in Iraq, while difficult and unpleasant remains necessary. There is obvious benefit to the United States. First, we have eliminated a very dangerous man from a position of power in a very strategically important part of the world. Whether or not weapons of mass destruction were found, the fact is he used them in the past, and would not hesitate to do so again. There is also evidence that the ruling party in Iraq was providing support to terrorists, including making payment to the families of suicide bombers.

In eliminating the threat posed by Sadaam and his Baathist regime, we have helped to establish a government in Iraq that is friendly to the west, and will be a willing ally in a volcanically unstable region.

U.S. interests in the Middle East must be protected because our current way of life depends heavily on oil. It is not just cars. We depend on oil for power production. Think what would happen if we had to pay for energy if that asset fell into the wrong hands! Medicine would suffer, transportation, our defenses, everything from the price at the pump to the price of toilet paper would be affected.

Ideologically, the U.S. has stood its ground against the end goal of the terrorists, and that is a one world religion and total control politically. The manifest destiny of Islam is annihilation or conversion of infidels to the religion that they deem to be true. This stands in direct opposition to the ideals that founded the United States, those of freedom of religion, speech and thought.

The people of Iraq were denied medicine and food while the ruling regime built palaces and statues. You can be sure that the powerful in Iraq never went without food, shelter or medicine.

We often hear that the war has increased terrorism, and the U.S. must be to blame for this. We rarely see stories about the good things our country has done for Iraq. Yes, Iraq is mired in factional fighting right now, and so we must remain until the new Iraqi government is able to stand on its own. Our presence has served to begin the establishment of new infrastructure in Iraq; power plants, hospitals and schools are being rebuilt. There is hope for a better way of life. That may be of the greatest interest; helping a downtrodden people to stand on their own and live safe, happy productive lives.

Learn more about this author, Valerie Sober.
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