The way I look at the situation is this: Whatever platform or political sway you vote for, you are voting on the war. Is that what Bush had in mind previously? Vote for Dubyah, and you concede that deception and power are quality virtues, or at least they are traits that can be overlooked in a World Leader. Vote for Dean or Gen. Clark, and you overturn the sacrifices of our nation in that land called Iraq.

My first moral question: Assuming you opposed the war in Iraq, as well as the 'occupation'...do you think that we can abandon the people we claim to have liberated? I mean, if we vote Democratic, whether or not in opposition of Bush, does that mean we're admitting that our presence in Iraq is not needed? Need I remind you that the last time we called a cease-fire in Iraq, the civilians that were counting on us were brutalized, tortured, starved, and executed?

The next moral question: Assuming you are for the 'outstretched arm' tactic of tackling the foes of the United States where they come from... can you honestly feel good about the fact that we, as a nation, were literally deceived by our leaders? And dare I mention the fact that our nation has committed, once again, our soldiers and sailors to a conflict that has no clear enemy? We are alienating a country of people, whom we are supposed to be helping. And we are hated by an ever-increasing majority.

Whatever happened to the possibility of a more leftist candidate that can help to finish the job in Iraq? Must we be so outspoken as to turn away our commitment to the Iraqi people? Can we not have someone opposed to war, but resigned to ease us out of this situation?

Our presence grows more and more dire every day. The populace, both Sunni and Shi'ite, have declared us as an occupying force, and the religious leaders have declared us as enemies BECAUSE we are an occupying force. We were put in this predicament by the George W. Bush cabinet, and although I cannot support that same cabinet again, I cannot bring myself to vote in a President who will make this all for nothing. We are now locked in an embrace with the civilians of Iraq, and we must help to ease in their new government, but I see no positive influence on any of the Presidential candidates.

So perhaps I'll schedule a much-needed trip to the dentist on that special day where the nation gridlocks themselves on the issue of War. It seems highly likely that Bush will retain his throne, and since it will be his last term, it won't matter that our nation has inspired a league of new-generation foes and possible terrorists. This ill-thought-out campaign reeks of other issues instead of those that focus on humanitarian rights, and the protection of our own nation's safety.