Up until today, I was still of the opinion that we should not just "cut and run." I have now changed my mind. The situation is becoming more and more chaotic. There is no legitimate group to which we can transfer power on June 1. More and more of our people are at risk. The number of casualties on both sides is escalating.

The light at the end of the tunnel is a freight train that will surely destroy us. What hope is there for this escapade ending in a western style democratic government in Iraq? None, absolutely none! We are only fooling ourselves if we think this will have a successful outcome.

There is no other country that will send troops to our aid, not even under the auspices of NATO or the UN. We have no more troops to send over, barring a draft. Preparing draftees to serve will take more time for training than we have to bring things under control.

Now, considering everything else, there are pictures of atrocities committed by American soldiers on detainees. The whole Arab world will rise up in disgust at this display. We have liberated Iraq for creation of a Democratic regime? Hardly! We have become the new Sadam Hussein. What else can go wrong? Everything! Remaining in Iraq and trying to bring things under control is sheer madness.

My heart weeps for the Iraqi people. My heart bleeds for the young lives we are destroying, both Iraqi and American. We have sent our young men and women on a fool’s errand. How sad that they must suffer great harm, both physically and mentally, and yes, even die for the sake of a corrupt political administration in Washington.

This is what will happen whether we withdraw now or stay for the eventual defeat of our efforts in Iraq. The country will be taken over by a radical Iranian-style Shiite regime, or even worse a Taliban-style regime. Then Al-Qaeda will have full reign just as they did in Afghanistan. We can kiss all the oil in Iraq goodbye. Terrorism will get a real boost. This will all happen whether we stay or leave. In order that we save as many lives as possible, I am now convinced that the only solution is to cut and run just as we had to do in Vietnam. Ted Kennedy hit the nail squarely on the head several weeks ago when he said, "George Bush, Iraq has become your Vietnam." It seems that we just cannot learn from the past. America always ends up on the wrong side of a conflict. Why? Because of American greed and arrogance. May God have mercy on America!