Charles Skelton: “thousands of Americans have lost their lives and billions of U.S. dollars have been spent in the war in Iraq. This war…”

“thousands of Americans have lost their lives and billions of U.S. dollars have been spent in the war in Iraq. This war has dangerously overstretched our military and preoccupied our country for almost 3 years now, and it still has no end in sight. And after all this, what a tragedy and disaster it will be if the real winner in this war is not the Iraqi people nor a more secure and democratic Middle East but rather Iran, a country that supports terrorism and opposes most of what we stand for. Yet today this possible scenario is exactly what we face. Iran has used our preoccupation in Iraq to its advantage. While we have searched for nonexistent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Iran has pursued its own nuclear ambitions. Now, with its decision to resume uranium enrichment, Iran is dangerously closer to having the capability to produce nuclear weapons. And press reports today link Iran's supposedly peaceful nuclear program to its military work on high explosives and missiles. At the same time, Iran has deeply insinuated itself in Iraq. It has taken advantage of Iraq's porous borders and is supporting anti- American efforts there. Its goal is to promote a Shiite-dominated anti- American state that can strengthen Iran's military, economic and political power in the region. But even before its latest nuclear pursuits and involvement in Iraq, Iran's actions have been seriously troubling.…”