It is right for American citizens to question General Petreus, because it is his job to protect our country from all enemies, foreign and domestic, even if those enemies come in the form of bad policies. His admission of uncertainty as to whether or not the war in Iraq is serving the safety and interests of the United States is an admission to dereliction of duty. We the people of the United States rely upon our military heroes for protection and sound decision making, without which we will all be vulnerable to the negative effects of bad political decision-making and policies. Perfunctory actions by General Petreus, in spite of his better convictions, is wrong and needs to be questioned, especially when he alone holds the true power to bring our troops home with or without Washington’s consent.

-Zak Longo

It seems odd that congress’s failure to pass a bill to withdraw troops is being called “a setback for the Democrats,” as if it were their fault the bill did not pass.

If the Democrats wanted to look good, they could easily put forth a withdrawal bill that has no real teeth, one that a few Republicans might sign, but won’t accomplish much of anything. Instead, the Democrats insist on producing legislation that genuinely reduces troop levels in Iraq, and the Republicans, who are still in suicide mode, won’t vote for it.

Such a policy, in which the Democrats show a little backbone, is not really a setback for them. But the fact that Republicans refuse to consider voting for any change in Bush’s war policy is indeed a setback for the nation.

-Ellen Beckett

Poor Prime Minister Maliki. He’ll rail against Blackwater mercenaries as they shoot their way through his country, but quite soon, President Bush will tap him on the shoulder and remind him that the head of Blackwater is a top Republican donor, the scion of one of the wealthiest families in South Carolina, and co-founder of Focus on the Family, to boot. Bush will then remind Maliki that the only way Iraq’s Republican sponsors will survive the 2008 election is if high-rollers like Blackwater keep donating. If that means U.S. contractors continue wandering the roadsides dispensing Saddam-style justice as they see fit, then so be it. The unspoken message is that Blackwater will be in Iraq long after Maliki has gone. Yeah, being a figurehead isn’t always easy, but as another figurehead once reminded a roomful of federal prosecutors, “We serve at the pleasure of President Bush.” Like Alberto Gonzales, Maliki will soon realize he’s about as essential as table garnish, and just as easily replaced.

-Naomi Hilt

I am a veteran and my son is serving in Iraq. I am disturbed by the vitriol of the left in this country towards our armed forces, military personnel, and war effort. The ill winds blown by the defeatists make it seem fashionable to accept capitulation. To me, it smacks of sedition. I’m sorry, an “I Support the Troops” magnet does not purchase them an indulgence. I read and hear opinions in the media every day about how we don’t have the will to fight, that most Americans want the troops home under any conditions. I believe the opposite to be the case. I believe that many, many Americans want an outcome favorable to our national interests in this (or any) conflict, in spite of any perceived flaw in our policies leading up to the fighting. I believe that outcome, for many of us, has to be the surrender or annihilation of our foes upon the battlefield. In other words, total victory. Maybe it’s time to start a grassroots campaign to finish this fight with honor. In our grandparents’ time, people displayed their patriotism with symbols like the “V” for Victory. What a marvelous sight on our roads it would be if out of nowhere “V” started popping up on bumpers, windshields, or written in the grime on the back of a truck. What a sign of loyalty to our sons and daughters in uniform if all the “Welcome Home” banners had a big red “V” on them. I’m going to start displaying a red “V” on my vehicle, and at work. I know I’ll get some stares, maybe even ridiculed, but it is a non-confrontational and dignified way to express the values that were instilled in me in the America I grew up in. And who knows? Maybe the wings of enough butterflies beating together can change the winds blowing across our land.

-Brian Caron