The positions of U.S. politicians and voters on Iraq before the mid-term elections reflected guilt, wishful thinking, impotence and panic. President George W. Bush is backing awkwardly away from his slogan "Stay the course;" many Republicans are attempting to dissociate themselves from the problems in Iraq.

Most Arab Iraqis dislike U.S. troops simply because they are U.S. troops. Twice the number of troops would have deepened resentment and still failed to defeat the insurgency. Our government institutions are unsuited to nation-building in Iraq We do not have the personnel, the training or the political culture to succeed.

At the same time our presence makes Iraqis less willing to fight. Most Iraqis are pragmatists who will avoid fighting when there are coalition troops to do it for them. Even the security forces are reluctant to tackle insurgents who claim to defend Islam and Iraq against foreign occupiers.