Idaho Falls

(Cartoon from Harper's Magazine)

If America were to pull out before Iraq can defend itself, the consequences would be absolutely predictable and absolutely disastrous. We would be handing Iraq over to our worst enemies: Saddam's former henchmen, armed groups with ties to Iran and al Qaeda terrorists from all over the world who would suddenly have a base of operations far more valuable than Afghanistan under the Taliban. They would have a new sanctuary to recruit and train terrorists at the heart of the Middle East, with huge oil riches to fund their ambitions. And we know exactly where those ambitions lead. If we give up the fight in the streets in Baghdad, we will face the terrorists in the streets of our own cities. We can decide to stop fighting the terrorists in Iraq, in other parts of the world, but they will not decide to stop fighting us.

- George W. Bush, August 31, 2006

Let's see, we have a choice between the current "predictable and absolutely disastrous" adventure in Iraq and an unknown disaster (whatever's behind Door #1!). Given that the current disaster has cost us over 2600 American lives, countless Iraqi lives, nearly 50,000 serious casualties, over $350 Billion in up-front expenditures, and a four-fold increase in terrorist attacks (off the top of my head), I think Door #1 sounds pretty damn good.