<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=2 PTSIZE=10 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
DC:<BR>
<BR>
We have military bases there, but we are not "occupying" Germany, Japan or Cuba with troops and tanks in their streets. In South Korea, we have a more active military presence, actually guarding a border, but this is with the relatively stable South Korean government's permission.<BR>
<BR>
I am pointing out that we could be militarily "occupying" Iraq for decades to prevent all hell from breaking loose (as if with us there now all hell is not breaking loose!). I doubt that if we leave the security of Iraq to Iraqis that we will see a democratic system emerge. If we really withdraw and leave the country to whatever the Iraqis come up with, we will see a brutal civil war or another brutal dictatorship.<BR>
<BR>
Ted Moffett</FONT></HTML>