Exactly Dianavan. The Syrians and Saudis are funding the Sunnis to fight the Shi'ites who are funded by Iran. And there are rumours (and evidence according to Seymour Hersh) that we are also funding the Sunnis so that the Iranian-sympathizing Shi'ites won't control Iraq. But, the Sunni jihadists are our sworn enemies, and the ones causing the vast majority of US ("coalition") casualties. So, the mission of our troops is exactly what? Looks to me like they are there solely to make it appear to US voters that "we are winning". Winning looks a hell of a lot like feeding young people to a meat grinder while politicians prattle and preen about issues that they are surreptitiously creating. Oh, and meanwhile, their friends make a hell of a lot of money supplying the war and the poorly-if-at-all-accounted-for "reconstruction". It's a win-win-win for everybody outside the borders of Iraq, and a lose-lose-lose for those poor souls within. And the relatives of many of those in country have a hard time dealing with the fact that the folks in the meat grinder are there serving the greedy personal interests of fools, and not a "noble cause". And before any of you "support the troops" people jump on my ass for saying it, you should realize that I've got troops there myself.

End of rant. Late night frustration. Goodnight.