To Be or Not to Be in Iraq

On August 7, 1998, trucks parked in front of U.S. embassies in major East African cities such as: Kenya, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi. Without warning, explosions from these trucks sounded, planted there intentionally by terrorists. This left 258 people dead, and 5,000 people injured. On September 11, 2001, America woke up to startling headlines on the news that four planes had been hijacked by terrorists. Two of these planes were crashed purposefully into the Twin Towers in New York City. A third plane was crashed into The Pentagon in Washington D.C. Lastly, a fourth plane crashed into the plains of Pennsylvania when the people on board fought to regain control of the aircraft. These are only a few examples of the terrors that Al Qaeda has enforced upon the American people. On May 1, 2011, President Barack Obama delivered the news that after a decade's hunt for Osama Bin Laden, leader of Al Qaeda, has finally been killed. However, the question remains whether the responsibility of the "War on Terror" is still falls on the United States.

The attacks of 9/11 was the first catastrophic event to occur on American soil since Pearl Harbor. This incident affected every American in some way, either directly or indirectly. The most directly affected individuals were those whose lives were taken on board the four commercial aircrafts, those in the buildings of the World Trade Center and Pentagon, and the officers and fire fighters who aided after the attack. Although not directly affected on that day, this event continued to change the fate of Americans who are enlisted in the military. Due to a single occurrence, the lives of parents, children, friend, and neighbors were altered. The cost of the "War on Terror" is an estimated 4,000 deaths and counting. Even with the leader of this terrorist organization gone, troops continue to be deployed to the Middle East.

Should America bring their troops home now that the most wanted terrorist is deceased? The first value consists of the efforts of the United States to counter and block possible future attacks. The U.S. policy should require that our armed forces stay in the Middle East to collect additional intelligence of the organization. The death of a leader does not amount to the end of the organization. Instead, it increases the threat on America. A second value is that each day that American troops are there, increases the chance of more casualties. The policy was to find Bin Laden, and it is time to bring the troops home.

The positive outcomes of keeping U.S. military forces overseas is that their presence is a reminder that the U.S. has not forgotten. Just because the leader is deceased, does not mean that another has not already taken his place. Angered Al Qaeda members may be planning an attack more heavily now than ever out of outrage. Also, the U.S. military can be an asset to the Iraqi people in redeveloping