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I don't have any issues with Bush as a human being, I don't subscribe to conspiracy theories about the man nor do I believe that he's up to no good. I believe he is an honest man doing a job to the best of his ability. Being a man, however, he is therefore fallible, as we all are and he will make mistakes. I believe he made one with the decision to invade Iraq and every passing day proves that.

I'm not a Democratic shill, nor a limp-wristed pacifist who habitually protests US military activity. I have no problem with our presence in Afghanistan, which in the form of its proxy al-Qaeda, attacked us. I'm a Catholic who believes in the teaching of his Church on the requirements for just war. I don't believe those conditions were fulfilled with respect to Iraq and the previous Pope, John Paul II didn't either, when he counseled against military action against that country. It's a shame we didn't listen to him because the situation in Iraq is deteriorating.

It's also unfortunate that this war is now overshadowing Bush's other achievements. The economy is picking up and he gave us two apparently conservative Supreme Court Justices but unless something miraculous happens soon, the war will be his legacy.

On a site like FR, it would be nice to be able to discuss Bush's shortcomings without screaming "Bushbot" or "Bush basher" at each other. A sycophantic praise of everything he does is as odious as its opposite, a visceral hatred of his every action which one sees on other web sites.

Well said.

I am a Catholic, too, and I DO think this fell under the heading of a "just war."

I suggest that you review exactly what situation we were in before we invaded Iraq. Pay special attention to the plight of the Iraqi people. If we had NOT invaded, they would still be under Saddam's tyranny, with his sons ready to pick up the reigns of power when he died.

Unlike some, I take to heart the admonition that we ARE our brother's keeper, especially when people are being oppressed by a guy who was actively seeking nuclear weapons, which Saddam was doing, as has been amply demonstrated on this forum, regardless of what the media says.

I am sorry you don't see this, but it doesn't change my opinion. As far as Pope John Paul II's protest against this war, it was not made with the knowledge of all that the President knew, and the Holy Father was in failing health as well.

Yes, it is true that there is too much name-calling on these threads, and that is a shame. On that we can agree. Thank you for taking the time to post your thoughts.