For those of us in the "coalition of the willing," we need to step back and examine the situation as it stands. I was never in support of the action in Iraq, yet I disagree with the Opposition's pre-election promise to "bring the troops home for Christmas."

Why? Well, we all think we know why the US and other "willing" countries committed their troops to battle. Many of us felt as though everyone was misled, and whether or not this is the case needs to be addressed separately. What remains is a country that we have invaded, and decimated to some extent. We have removed their previous governing structures entirely, and we cannot, and should not, walk away until we assist in the re-building of the Iraqi nation. We may not be able to remove the "roots of evil" that have planted themselves there, but walking away and leaving the nation in shambles will NOT set a good example to the Iraqis about traditional democratic beliefs.

What those Iraqi men did was disgusting, but I commend the US (and Australian) government's decision to stick to their original resolve, and not "abandon" ship when the going got too tough. We all know the cliche ... you made your bed, now you must lie in it.