Iraq departure is long overdue

It is unfortunate there is not a way to hand Cal Thomas a rifle and send him to Iraq. His recent column is all about a little armchair general arraying his little lead toy soldiers. Most likely the lead soldiers were a birthday present from his grandmother in 1939.

First, the chance of winning the war in Iraq was all but impossible from the time we dropped the first bomb on Saddam Hussein's secret bunker in Baghdad. What have Americans gained from the 4,414 (latest count) U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq? There have been at least 32,000 U.S. troops wounded. Don't forget the Poles, Brits and other NATO soldiers who have died in Iraq.

Then there is the $1.1 trillion the American taxpayer sent over there rather than spending here building bridges, schools and a better future for America.

We should have never started this war. That is water over the dam. Now the war needs to be over. The people of America have more than tried to make Iraq a stable nation. What do we get? They cannot even form a government. President Obama is right. It is time to say we are packing up and going home and we all hope you can get your act together.

Donald Kuntz

Des Plaines