On the radio (I think it was CBS radio news) I heard a correspondent from Mosul say that an Iraqi there asked him if America was there for freedom, or for the oil. What do you think? he asked. "If you stay," responded the Iraqi, "you're here for freedom. If you leave, it's just for the oil

---I'm not sure people (especially liberals) quite grasp the fact that, while we don't want to be in Iraq for too long, its equally undesireable to leave too soon. The Iraqis are absolutely terrified that, having disposed of our headache Saddam, we will bolt like we did in 1991 and leave them at the mercy of the most ruthless and powerful, which could very well be the same old Baathist party we just removed. They don't want us there forever, but right now, they want us there.