I've been watching this board for 2 years and as you can see I don't post much, but some of the comments on this subject make me want to express my views.

First of all let's talk about ph****** Republicans and there contribution to this country. I retired 10 years ago and since then our military has been reduced by over 600,000 troops. To quantify- From 20 Fighter Wings down to 10 - a 600 ship Navy to less than 400- Army divisions have taken the same kind of cuts. !0 years ago a 2 front war was possible probably not now. (Kosovo/Afganistan do not compare to Iraq and N. Korea)It isn't the Republicans who say we can't afford a strong military

For those who think we failed when Sadam wasn't killed in 91- you are wrong - As some have said ,- it was never an objective of Desert Storm. Look up Nat Security Directive 54 and you will see a clear statement of the objectives and by definition what constitutes VICTORY. For those who want to compare Iraq to Viet Nam- Find me what our clear cut objectives were. Yes I was there -1963 and 1969. That doesn"t make me an expert,but I wasn't a casual observer either.

Nobody wants "innocent people" to die -whatever that means. When did collateral damage ie "innocent people" become the measure of right and wrong. It sure wasn't in WWII when we firebombed Japan and the allies Flattened cities in Germany and the Germans Fired Buzz Bombs at London. I'm not sure collateral damage was an issue in Korea.

Television changed how we look at war and w we could really see how horrible it is in real time. Desert Storm ended not when we had annilated the Republican Gaurd But when people around the world watched bodies lying on the "highway of death "coming out of Kuwait City. 24 hours more of those scenes and the coalition would have come apart in my opion.

For those who don't think the case has been made that Saddam has weapons of Mass destruction - What if he does- he WILL use them- he has before.

For those who don't believe in war- let me say as long as ther are" HAVES" and "HAVE NOTS" AND /OR RELIGION thjere will be conflict. Name one armed conflict that wasn't rooted in this basic premise.

I offer these comments not as an expert but one who has been involved and one who believes we are at war now. Terorist are real and they want to do us harm. I want to kill the Bast**** before they can hurt my 3 granddaughters and my grandson. My oldest son is a fireman who was at the WTC as part of a search and rescue team- I don't want him to do that again.

This is a great board and Bob does us all a great service by letting us vent. I'D RATHER TALK ABOUT THE 2 STEELHEAD AND THE 3 DOLLIES CAUGHT AND RELEASED MON/TUES OF THIS WK.