[sturm und drang]

First of all, I've never been dubbed a "pacifist." Interesting, considering my college degree is in history and a concentration in martial studies.

The reality of the situation in Iraq is that we conquered a country for stated reasons that proved to be - much to our embarrassment - non-existent. The unpalatable fact is that, after almost a year of occupation, we have been totally unable to unearth one shred of evidence that points to either the presence of WMD or a link between Iraq and Al-Qaeda.

The Iraqis want us gone. And we won't leave.

We've killed hundreds or thousands of innocent Iraqis - something that, as a student of war, I know is inevitable and we have done our utmost to avoid. Nevertheless, the fact remains.

And now there are a spate of horrific prisoner abuse photographs circulating.

I won't even touch the rest of the hearsay about bombing weddings and the like. I will only talk that which is undeniable.

Everyone around the world sees all these images. They know we haven't provided any evidence of the suspicions that drove our invasion. They know the Iraqis want us out. They know we've killed innocent people and that, worse yet, we are mocking, torturing and ridiculing prisoners against the terms of the Geneva treaty - a treaty of which we are the primary supporter. This is the perception. Whether or not it is true I won't debate, but these are the thoughts, editorials and images that are shaping people's opinions. And that's what we're going to have to reckon with.

If the invasion of Iraq had gone at the terrorists, eliminated most or even some of them, I'd feel differently. But the invasion of Iraq toppled a dictator who, while undeniably evil, had no connection whatsoever (besides a shared religion) to those who attacked us. Personally, I feel we're in more danger from terrorists than ever before.

Hatred of America is at an all-time high - in the Middle East and throughout the rest of the world. We have effectively propelled a hatred that was the province of the few into the hearts and minds of the many. None of us know who's right now, or next year or the next. But all I will say is that we will not escape the wrath of such wide-spread, cultural Anti-American venom. Children will be raised to seethe in hatred at the U.S., and will be given plenty of visual evidence of why they should. We are the new Israel.