[MidGe]

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The war in Iraq is now a major front in the global war to combat al-Qaeda and is critical to the outcome of U.S. efforts to contain Iran.

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Maybe true but I don't even think that it is true. OTOH, had the US (and its few allies, fewer and fewer of them, by the way) not invaded Iraq, they was no Al-Quaeda in Iraq (or no more of them, than in the US, lets say - should we consider invading the US [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] ) we would (the world and the US have a much smaller problem. The entire destabilization of Iraq is a direct result of US acts and failures!

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Helping Iraq to become a secure and stable nation in the heart of the Middle East is in the national inter*est of the United States. Iraq's best chance for long-term stability is to develop democratic institutions that will protect the basic civil, political, and human liberties and rights of the Iraqi people.


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Yes, I am sure that most Iraqis outside of Iraq think so (ie rich Iraqis in the US), but that is definitely not what most Iraqis in Iraq think has been achieved. To say the reverse is a denial of what is so obvious it hardly warrants a comment. That is, except, that despite the contradictions this is still the view the US government would prefer, and try, against all odds, to promote.