Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                            Matt Dulin                             Tony Hernandez 
                Jim Parsons             Dusti Rhodes           Richard Whitrock

Check, please

The United States officially handed over political power to Iraq's interim government, a full two days before the June 30 deadline. 

Maybe we know when we've worn out our welcome.

Whether we should be in a hurry to get out is a subject for debate, but it's clear that even though the heralded transfer of authority has taken place, the United States is tied to that nation for a good many years to come.

Thousands of American civilian workers and more than 130,000 American troops remain, slowly falling victim to the sting of the insurgents' bombs, guns and swords.

Political analysts forecast this year's election as being a national referendum on the war in Iraq. As civilian administrator Paul Bremer and company make their exit, all eyes are on Iraq's infantile government surrounded by men in combat fatigues. 

Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center, told The Associated Press that as goes Iraq, so goes the Bush administration.

"If Iraq improves, it will greatly improve Bush's chances of winning," he said, noting that Bush's approval rating has dipped below his "comfort zone" of 50 or 60 percent.

We can't expect Bush's prime opponent, John Kerry, to be a curing salve for the Iraq situation. We probably couldn't even expect that if we put Jesus Christ into office.

It's in the interests of Iraq's security that we endure the attacks, shielding the fledgling government. It's also in Iraq's interests that we involve the international community as much as possible. 

Opponents of this war are all too keen on comparing this quagmire to the devastating Vietnam War. This is an inaccurate, and unfair, comparison. We should be more concerned about leaving Iraq in a situation comparable to post-World War I Germany, where terror grew fat on the country's ruin.