One year after the United States led the invasion of Iraq, the country remains extremely dangerous not only to our troops, but also to the stability of the world.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
The situation in Iraq is dangerous but the regional situation is also very complicated and precarious.
We're in danger of breaking our army and preventing our national leaders from having the flexibility to confront not just Iraq and Afghanistan, but crises around the globe.
The present danger which this country faces is at least as great as the danger which we faced during the war with Germany and Japan. Briefly stated, it is the very real danger that this country, as we know it, may cease to exist.
Every day Saddam remains in power with chemical weapons, biological weapons, and the development of nuclear weapons is a day of danger for the United States.
Iraq is a long way from the U.S., but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face.
A stable Iraq at peace with its neighbors will remain elusive until we improve both the security and the economic environment in Iraq.
The bottom line is that after we defeat the armed forces of Iraq, that we will want to and need to provide stability throughout that country.
There's no doubt that it's still a dangerous place, Afghanistan. The fortunate thing is that the United States was helping to provide security for Chairman Karzai. And it shows that the United States is committed to that regime.
Our safety requires a long-term military presence in the Middle East because that's where the plans to attack us are emanating.
In liberating Iraq, we have rid the nation and the rest of the world from the danger of Saddam Hussein.