The need to stay in Iraq

In the face of pressure to withdraw from Iraq, it looks like we may still need to stay – for at least a while longer.

The rapidity of the democratization and reform of Iraq is staggering. There was no German state for four years after the Second World War. By contrast, Iraq has moved from a centralized, one-man dictatorship to a decentralized, federal republic in half that time.

American forces are in Iraq at the invitation of the democratically elected government of Iraq, and with the backing of a United Nations Security Council resolution. Your soldiers are in my country because of your commitment to democracy. Moreover, during my visit to Washington, Mr. Bush reaffirmed the United States' complete support for the Iraqi political process toward sustainable democracy, and for the fight to defeat fascist and jihadist terrorism in Iraq.

US forces are doing more than just mopping up in Iraq, too. They're preventing local wars, both inside and outside Iraq.

Americans should be proud of what its soldiers have achieved. The presence of foreign forces has prevented a renewed civil war in Iraq--renewed because there has already been a civil war in Iraq. For 35 years, Saddam and his Baath Party made war on the Iraqi people. The liberation of Iraq ended that civil war.

Above all, American forces provide Iraq with a much-needed deterrence capability. In the past, Iraq sought an illusory security through the follies of aggression, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Today, our external security comes from our alliance with the United States. Our neighbors can thereby be assured that we will settle all of our differences with them peacefully.

People who have spoken out against affirmative action have been accused of wanting to pull the ladder up after them, now that they've achieved their success. I won't suggest the people who want us out of Iraq have the same mind set – we've got our security, now we won't lift a finger to help others achieve theirs.

But I can't resist the temptation to suggest it.