I disagree with the candidates

Without getting into another big, long screed, I disagree:

- that the war in Iraq was [necessarily] right for America. This is a criticism of method on my part, of rhetoric. Whether the war was right or not is debatable, moot, and it remains that way. Just saying it was right doesn't make it so.

- that we should [necessarily] pull our troops out of Iraq within the next 4 years. I know it plays well in the press to people who want the troops back home. And I want the troops out of combat operations and the reserves back home. But we have had regular (non-reserve) American troops stationed overseas for a very long time, and it can be very strategic, not just for our national interests (though it is), but for world interests. Having troops stationed in Iraq long-term, not for peace-keeping and security but for presence in the Middle East could be a really good thing. Not to mention that we have paid a very high price to liberate Iraq. Of course, then it would be incumbent on us to use our power there for good for the whole region and not just in our interests. You might say we haven't yet, so we don't get the privilege, that we've forfeited the right. Maybe. But that's debatable, too. So, while we debate it, and sincerely work to represent what's good for the region, I say we keep some troops stationed there for the long-term to do good.