You mention that your husband “feels like a henchman” and I would like more information about that. What is he being assigned to do that makes him feel that way? I could understand someone feeling that way during the initial offensive, but now that the goals are security and rebuilding it seems like an odd way to feel.

As I understand it, Senator Obama feels that if it is clear that we are leaving then Iraq’s leadership will step up to fill the void. I am far from convinced that this is the case; rather, it seems much more likely that insurgent forces would be quick to fill the void. In any event, this is just a different strategy for achieving the same goal that the current administration has already expressed — transition control to the Iraqi government. It may be a better plan or it may not, but it is the same goal.

It does appear that one significant difference is that Senator Obama does not intend to have any US military bases in Iraq after the withdrawal, while I expect (but don’t actually know) that President Bush and Senator McCain would want to establish permanent bases. On the other hand, Senator Obama does say that he would keep troops in place if Al Qaeda were attempting to build bases.

Someone else did that, too: Hitler.

Yet, no one comes to our country and says, “Let us liberate you from your screwed up, selfish, dictator of a President. Let us drop bombs everywhere we can all over your country until we locate him and then we will kill him and leave your country in even worse shambles than it was before.” No one does that to us and, by god, if it were ever suggested even those of us who are unhappy with our leadership would still never want war for that unless we were in far worse shape. We don’t need to be liberated and maybe they didn’t, either. Or, maybe they did and so do we.

My husband has been to Iraq and will be returning in September. He will be out there pulling guard duty and watching people die. As much as he loves our country and wants to defend it, it is impossible for him to feel as if that is what he is doing. He feels like a henchman, not a hero.

I am certainly hoping that this upcoming election creates change because we are in desperate need of it here in America. I am extremely politically involved and work for Barack Obama’s campaign. We’ve donated money to the candidates and research and watch the news, debates, rallies and speeches. We have gone to see these candidates in person at rallies, voted in caucuses and have tried everything we can to do our part. I am just hoping that my husband doesn’t die in Iraq before all of these changes can be made