President Bush appointed Lt. Gen. David Petraeus to be the commander of the multinational forces in Iraq. Before the general's Senate confirmation hearings, he asked President Bush for about 22,000 more troops, which the president approved. The Senate voted 81-0 to confirm the general. After the vote, the senators patted the general on the back, wishing him good luck, Godspeed and so forth.

The next day, the Democrats and a few Republicans proposed a non-binding resolution to undercut the general's efforts. It appears those politicians will wish you well, shake your hand, then stab you in the back as you walk away.

Much has been said about the amount of time it has been taking to curtail hostilities and to stabilize the government in Iraq. The efforts to topple Saddam's government started about four years ago. Since then, the United States has lost more than 3,100 brave young men and women. During World War II, the United States lost more than 200,000 young men and women. After the war, it took seven years to stabilize the government in Germany and 10 years to stabilize the government in Japan.

A few months ago, I was told by a Democrat that Republicans make war and Democrats make money. I guess he didn't want to remember that a Democratic president, Lyndon Johnson, escalated the Vietnam War under false pretenses, claiming that a North Vietnamese ship fired across the bow of an American ship.

Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, we now know that did not happen. More than 56,000 American troops lost their lives in that war. During the Nixon administration, Democrats were in control of Congress. They cut off the war-effort funding, American troops left Vietnam, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong overran South Vietnam, and more than 3 million South Vietnamese were killed. I've heard nothing from Democrats to justify or criticize what happened in that war. The same thing is about to happen in Iraq if the Democrats have their way and cut off funding.

The war against terrorists is becoming a world war. The United States eventually will lose this war, not because American troops don't have the will or capability to win, but because in this country we have judges in our court system and politicians who are determined to give enemy combatants a "Terrorist Bill of Rights," and too many people who, for political reasons, are determined to lose this war.

Not if, but when we lose, let me suggest that everyone purchase a couple of prayer rugs to kneel on and be prepared to use them at prayer call five times a day, or we'll die.