We need to make it clear that we will withdraw from Iraq within 6 to 9 months – so that the Iraqis will know that they must stand up and defend the opportunity given to them.

So a truthful assessment of how America is doing in the war on terror as a result of President Bush’s war on Iraq is that we have been set back by decades.

The conduct of President Bush’s war of choice has been plagued with incompetent civilian leadership decisions that have cost many lives and rendered the war on and occupation of Iraq a strategic policy disaster for the United States.

In the remaining months, we should focus on achieving more robust international involvement in training of Iraqi soldiers, police officers, judges, teachers, and doctors – all key elements needed to end the sectarian and civil conflict and build Iraq’s future.

President Bush’s war on Iraq is viewed broadly in Islamic communities as an attack on Islam, and thus the President has alienated a large part of one fifth of the world’s population.

The military’s own report says that one-third of deaths and casualties could have been avoided if proper body armor and vehicle armor had been provided from the start of the war.

Since 1850, burning of fossil fuels, coal, oil and natural gas has increased 100 times to produce energy as the world has industrialized to serve the world’s more than 6 billion and growing population.

America has also forever lost the service of thousands of good soldiers who are now disabled as a result of battle wounds in Iraq. Many others will need mental and emotional rehabilitation before they can return to normal life.

So a truthful assessment of how America is doing in the war on terror as a result of President Bush's war on Iraq is that we have been set back by decades.

The incompetence regarding body and vehicle armor rises almost to a level of criminal negligence.