[pcx99]

Like I've said before, the war with Iraq was about a lot of little things which all added up to one big benefit for the United States. Put simply, aside from a bit of a public relations hit, there really aren't many negatives to this war.

The military victory was easy, and while there's an extreemly minor geurella war in-progress it's about as low-intensity as you can possibly get. In exchange we get a military base on the border of every state sponsor of terrorism for the next few years, a guaranteed oil supply, the benefit to the dollar as expressed in this article, a reminder of who the big boy on the block is to all the tin-pot dictators in the region, and maybe the biggest bonus of all, the removal of a really attrocious dictator and the iraqi people joining the modern, civilized world.

[NeonKnight]

In exchange we get a military base on the border of every state sponsor of terrorism for the next few years...

I feel this is key. Iraq is the new Germany. We now have heavy armor within a days ride of any major conflict in the area. No more long, drawn out, 6 month build ups, or sucking up to terrorist sponsering nations.

We have in effect enhanced our own freedom.