Dear Jerry Golden,

I respectfully disagree with your assessment that  "..attacking Iraq was a very bad idea and a war that the US didn't need to get into."  http://www.thegoldenreport.com/asp/jerrysnewsmanager/anmviewer.asp?a=1104&z=1

Please considered that:

*Iran's attempts to acquire nuclear power preceded the Bush administration, which agrees with you that  " If Iran acquires nukes she will be the most dangerous to the free world ".

*Wars are usually planned in advance. Troops, armaments, air-routes, and supplies must be established and pre-positioned.

*Strategically, the war in Afghanistan and Iraq gave the US the necessary means to thwart Iran's potential control of the flow of Persian gulf oil and to blackmail the global economy, Israel's included. It opened air-routes and supply lines in preparation for another major conflict. I'm certain you agree that Iraq is just one battle in a greater war.

                -In the coming war with Iran, Saddam would not be an ally of the US. He would more likely be sending scud missiles your way - again.

                -If Israel determines to initiate a first-strike against Iran, will it need to fly over Iraqi air-space? Chances are good that Saddam, if he were still in power, would be shooting down Israeli planes. How about American planes?

*A contributing factor in winning wars is deception and misdirection. Do not underestimate American finesse stemming from the White House - hopefully it's blindsiding our internal as well as our external enemies. The current American administration, though subject to human error, political pressure, and the need to prioritize its objectives, is not naive - as many would like to assume.

Please put aside your personal dislike of the American President. Israel is fortunate to have 165,000 American troops between Iran and itself. Furthermore, if your government exempts your military from its version of political correctness, no doubt it can defeat Egypt and Syria  - just like it did in Israel's previous wars.

Finally, you would not be expending such efforts to accomplish your mission if you had no hope that Israel will survive. So, why bash American war strategy? Yes, it is positioned for America's self-interest, but it may also play a meaningful role in preserving Israel's future.

Best Regards,

Marie Komar