It's time for U.S. to cut losses and leave Iraq (Pat Buchanan)

[struggle4progress]

By Patrick J. Buchanan

<snip> The president, his war Cabinet and the neocon punditocracy sold us on this war by implying Saddam Hussein was implicated in Sept. 11, that he had a vast arsenal of chemical and biological weapons, that he was working on an atom bomb, that he would transfer his terror weapons to Al-Qaida. We had to invade, destroy and disarm his axis-of-evil regime. Only thus could we be secure.

None of this was true. But the president won that debate and was given a free hand to invade Iraq. He did so, and overthrew Saddam's regime in three weeks. ``Mission accomplished!''

That was 20 months ago. What is our mission now? When did it change? With 1,300 dead and nearly 10,000 wounded, why are we still at war with these people? <snip>

The president needs to know that if he intends to use U.S. military power to democratize the Middle East, Americans -- 56 percent of whom now believe Iraq was a mistake -- will not follow him. <snip>

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/opinion/10506150.htm