I agree Allan- I have no idea how these wars will end and what the ramifications will be in ending them. I think Iraq has a better chance of sustainability than Afghanistan only based on their commerce; oil vs. opium.

I don’t know how Iraq’s ethnic groups will get along though. Will Shia’s accept a Sunni president and vice versu without an American presence? Is it almost better to divide the country into two states? I don’t know. Then you would have a diaspora of each ethnic group. It’s tough. Don’t forget about Hezbollah(Lebanon) and Syria and how they could help the Shia populace and a possible Shia/Iranian superpower:

http://books.google.com/books?id=UPUUL2HgwooC&pg=PA37&lpg=PA37&dq=shia+superpower&source=bl&ots=5Lhs1WaW6a&sig=OHsYF0AtrOuI9QQE1uwdXSO3MKo&hl=en&ei=4CieSvTJJovkMIGG6YYC&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=shia%20superpower&f=false

I don’t know if we should commit more troops in Afghanistan. I really don’t.

I agree our country cannot afford two nation building wars. I have to talk about Bush, Delay and the Repubs who were in power at the time of the wars:

http://books.google.com/books?id=s4OeoaUDBAMC&pg=PP1&dq=war+and+taxes#v=onepage&q=&f=false

These men who wanted to look tough on war and keep their base happy with tax cuts drained our accounts and left us where we are today.

They fed from the trough when they were in office and left others to pick up the pieces.

Okay-I’ll stop with the Repub bashing.

Allan- I have no idea how we are going to get out this mess unscathed (sigh).