Pray for our troops. I'm not over in Iraq. I don't welcome this war nor am I entirely convinced that it will achieve our goals. Our President and by a 2/3 vote, our congress is convinced and so we are going to war. The decision has been made.

I'm not on the front lines and I never will be. I have a host of health problems which don't stop me from living a normal life but which would make me inelligible for military service. If I were over there, I'd hope that Americans would put aside their opposition or their doubts about the war and pray for me, pray for my safety. Our soldiers are facing a terrible trial, a time when they could meet their deaths. If we'd like someone to be praying for us, we should pray for them.

I didn't mean to suggest yesterday that those who favored a war with Iraq wanted it. Ideally, I understand everyone would have liked Saddam to leave peacefully. I think those who have supported have understood that wasn't going to happen. We've known for a better part of a year that to achieve our goal of stabalizing the region and removing a threat to the United States and peace, that war was perhaps not the preferred way to go but it was the only realistic option.

In essence, those who've been tough on Iraq have wanted war only because war is the only way that the goal can be achieved. I'm not suggesting that they're bloodthirsty, only that they see war as the only way. And if removing Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi threat is the goal, war is the only answer.

War is coming. Of that there is no doubt. Within a day or so, I suppose it will start. I hope and pray that everything will be over as quickly as people say. However, quick victories are rarely accomplished as neatly as we'd like. We may be getting in for more than we bargain for.

To the principled opponents of the war, I acknowledge their honest desire for peace. However, they've allowed to speak for them, a group of Americans so full of hatred for this country and everything that's good and right about it, that reasonable men couldn't help but tune out their message.

To the supporters of war, you have what you want. 65% of Americans support the war, we're told. That support for our President and our troops must not be abated because of high casualities. This is the risk of war. If we look at a loss of military life and we say, "For 10,000 lives it's not worth it." we should not send them all. Support our troops, remain steadfast in standing behind this war. Retreat is not option, only victory or defeat.

God bless our President, God bless our soldiers, and God bless the United States of America.