Dawnfire, thanks for your response to anonymous.
Once again Tom, let me repeat: you're complaining about the actions in Iraq simply demonstrate your ignorance of the way wars are fought.
Let's stay with the Hitler analogy because you seem to dislike it so. Imagine yourself as you are now but living in november 1942. You would be complaining bitterly about our first major operation in the European theatre: Torch.
You would be saying: why are we invading North Africa when hitler is in Germany? How will spending our children's money (a particularly egregious lie btw) on a madcap adventure in Casablanca when Hitler is still running around in Bavaria?
I doubt you'd say these things too loudly since they'd likely get your butt kicked, but that's essentially your position.
There were at least three good reasons for torch and those reasons apply quite nicely to Iraq:
(1) there was an enemy in north Africa. I'm sure you've seen the movies about tobruk and all so I wont belabor that. Invading north africa, just like invading Iraq, ended a potential threat and reduced the enemy's options. You can argue about Saddam's role in all of this but the simple fact is he was an evil man who is now on trial. His public hanging will be a great event for the Iraqis he brutalized and starved. It will be a sad day for the forces of evil who relied on his tacit approval or outright support.
(2) The allies needed a strategic base for the invasion of europe. All they possessed at the time was gibraltar. The easter Med was in Axis hands. Gaining a foot hold in north Africa dramatically changed the landscape. So too in Iraq. We now possess an uncontestable base for military operations against any foe the choses to assault us. Niether Iran nor Syria could directly aid Hezbullah because they could not overcome our position in Iraq. As a direct result, lebanon has another chance at democracy and the Palestinians are suing for peace.
(3) The allies needed the practice. Our army was comprised of stone cold rookies. We had an officer corp that consisted of some old line warriors and many 90 day wonders. Getting this group into action improved over all performance and allowed the Allies to pick future commanders based on past performance in COMBAT. so too in Iraq. At this point the two national militaries with the most experience fighting arabs in their region are the IDF and the US. We have learned a massive amount about fighting in this region and terrain. We have learned and adapted both in our combat doctrines and our political policies. Such experience is invaluable in what will be a long long struggle.
This comment attempts a factual response to your emotional outburst. Dawnfire and I (and others) have provided cogent, thoughtful analysis while you have engaged in thoughtless school yard "name calling". My strong suspicion is that you simply have no other means of understanding and that's sad for you.
Fortunately for my country there are many many educated, thoughtful, serious men and women who are managing the effort in Iraq quite brilliantly. I am glad they rely on their knowledge and not on your emotion.