Like Afghanistan, troops won't be home soon

To the editor:

The fighting continues, but victory has been declared in Iraq. Don't expect the troops to be coming home soon. If Iraq is anything like Afghanistan, the job has just started.

Victory was declared in Afghanistan, but U.S. troops are still fighting and dying there. The government put into place by the Bush administration barely controls Kabul. The countryside still belongs to the warlords. Opium production is back to pre-Taliban levels. And Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida are still on the loose.

Now various officials are rattling sabers at Syria. An administration insider has declared World War IV on all the unfriendlies in the Middle East. Iraq is just the second battle of many more to come. Don't take my word for it. Read the "Project for a New American Century." Influential members of this administration have made their intentions available for anyone to read via the Internet.

If they have their way, the troops won't be coming home for a long time.

PAUL ZMOLEK

Cape Girardeau