How Long's Too Long

Senator John McCain, the prospective nominee for the Repubican Party in this year's Presidential elections is gaining some flak from critics after remarking that American troops may stay in Iraq "for decades" on Monday.

This criticism is, in our opinion, unwarranted. Despite the angst that the idea of maintaining a presence in Iraq stirs in some, there is some precedent for troops levels to be maintained in "friendly" nations even after a war has been won.

American troops are still in Germany and Japan, more than sixty years after the end of World War Two - in fact, the democratically-elected Federal government in Germany was not in place until four years after the end of the war, U.S. troops still patrol Bosnia-Herzgovina, despite former President Clinton's assurances that they would only remain for a short time after the end of their conflict with Serbia and U.S. troops maintain a strong presence in Korea - where the war has not yet ended.

McCain used these arguments himself on Tuesday saying, "We've been in Japan for 60 years," he said. "We've been in South Korea for 50 years or so. That would be fine with me, as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed."

"My friends, the war will be over soon ... for all intents and purposes, although the insurgency will go on for years and years and years," he said. "But it will be handled by the Iraqis, not by us."

The fact that he is willing, unlike others to accept the necessity of maintaining a security force in that new nation should be viewed as a positive. As circumstances change, he can alter his views and reduce troop levels based on the situation on ground not political expediency.

We believe that that is the best approach to handle this difficult issue in a sane and, for this nation, safer way.