One of the reasons for your confusion and hopelessness on this situation is the underlying assumption, fed by some of the web sites you frequent and God knows what else, that our leaders are hostile, incompetent, and perhaps even insane and evil.

No wonder you think everything is going to go to hell.

Now, try looking at it from the point of view that our leaders, our military, and others handling this problem are (for the most part) working in the best interests of ourselves and the other people of the world. Our military knows what it is doing, and gets better at it every year. Bush is honest, and even if you don't think he's all that bright, you have to admit his advisors are no dimbulbs. And he really wants this to work out well for everyone.

This does not have to end in the worst way, and if you talk to anyone from Iraq, most of them are eager for the war to begin. You know what kind of apprehension you feel when you start to believe those assumptions that our leadership may be corrupt and evil, working to destroy what America stands for. An Iraqi citizen has no doubts at all. The evil of their leadership is proven. Imagine what it's like to go through your day knowing that saying the kinds of things we say here all the time would get you or your family imprisoned or killed. Would you risk being the victim of collateral damage knowing that afterward most of Iraq's citizens would be freed?

Okay, maybe I'm overly optimistic--a "Pollyanna," but I don't see unreasonable pessimism as any more rational given the same information to work with.