very simply - the situation is a mess in common parlance. What needs to be added to the equation beyond troop maintenance and/or graduated withdrawl is what is going to be done in the greater scheme of simultaneously creating "meaningful" study of the emmergence and spread of terroism in the middle east and beyond. The glaring fact that the issue needs all serious academic, international, inter-regional, non-politicized investment at a truly significant scale is at least 7 years late. Yes, homeland security is important. Yes, moral responsibility for the still unsettled state and the greater threads of terrorist activity is imperative. BUT TO STOP THE SLOW BLEED OF THE US AND FURTHER DEATH AND DESTRUCTION ENDLESS CONTINUING, a higer level of international approach has to be found OTHER THAN US MILITARY BASING THERE - iow a genius sos - that is the most significant variable re. the three, I believe.

None are entirely right for the job but of the choices McCain is the best equipped. Obama has no clue what to do and will just turn tail and run like Vietnam all over again! Has the man even stepped foot over there to console our troops. I think not. McCain has a better knowledge of these things and he also will have all the backing of the existing military heads of command. That is something that allot of people haven't considered. Especially when it comes to Obama who would need to prove himself with the military leadership (not likely) before they would trust his decisions!