Great military power is rightly feared on an historical basis. That is why the US actions after the war are as important as the battle itself. Leaving Iraq better off and independent will clearly show how different the US is from the past great powers of history. Unfortunately the sordid misdeads of the cold war obscured the fact that the US has done this before. Japan and Germany are good examples of democracy and capitalism thanks in part to US rebuilding efforts. GW1 was an incomplete demonstration as is Afghanistan. Lets get it right this time guys.

It is important for the world to understand that democracy is the only safe place for such power to reside. Power is never absolute in a true democracy. All those protesters against this war in the US show that democracy serves as a check on potential excesses. If their fears had proven accurate rather than emotional diatribes Bush would have paid for it.

It's also a newsflash for terrorists and tyrants. Don't threaten the US or its friends.

Regards,
Mark