While still in the early phases of transformation in to what will hopefully be a lasting democracy, Iraq is at least free of its ruthless despot control over every citizen's life . . . Even if Hussein (or his remains) must still be found, as must Bin Laden.  Moreover, this new found freedom experience, as it is in Afghanistan, still requires protection against those who would like to see a return to the daily fear of death for expressing even a word of "perceived" dissent.

Kind of makes living in a free society like the United States and its Iraq War allies Great Britain, Spain, and Australia (apologizes to other nations not mentioned) . . . sound very nice and special when thinking about what the citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan are still coping with in the stabilization process.  And then there are those in other countries, who would probably be ecstatic over what the citizens of Iraq and Afghanistan now enjoy.

Furthermore, I am not going to start pointing fingers at anyone in the United States about playing 2004 election politics with "what and why" after giving millions in Iraq and Afghanistan freedom.  My thoughts are for those young troops who have paid and will pay the ultimate price to maintain freedom on another's soil, as I believe most of us would do to protect the same right here!

Okay, I might be slightly impacted by my son serving in Iraq, but it shouldn't be too hard for even the bitter few to be thankful for the type of freedom we have . . . and even honor it on July 4th.