What other papers are saying

By Staff
America in Iraq at least one more year
The election in Iraq went off without a hitch. Or at least just 170,001 hitches. Iraqi president Ghazi al-Yawer has asked that America leave behind its 170,000 U.S. troops to protect the soon to be newly elected government.
Al-Yawer said in a press conference Tuesday, "it would be complete nonsense to ask the troops to leave in this chaos and this vacuum of power."
He believes it may be possible to allow the troops to leave by the year's end when security forces in Iraq are built up.
Officials have already begun counting the ballots for the election results, but no numbers are expected any time soon.
Our troops will be gone at least another year and insurgents are still fighting them in skirmishes across the country despite the Iraqi border's reopening Tuesday.
Meanwhile an Iraqi militant Web-site claims that an American soldier has been taken hostage and has threatened to behead him within 72 hours unless all Iraqi war prisoners are released.
The site shows a picture of what appears to be an American soldier with his hands tied behind his back, and a gun pointed at his head, seated in front of a black flag with the Islamic motto painted on it. The flag reads "There is no god but Allah and Muhammed is his prophet."
Insurgents were unable to stop the election in Iraq and waged no major attacks on election sites which means Iraq may have a chance at a free government.
However, this new claim shows us that rebels have not given up the fight against democracy and freedom.
The new Iraqi government may one day be strong enough to end insurgence within its borders, but until that time the U.S. and it's allies will have to protect the budding American-based government.
We pray for our troops and hope that no more may be taken hostage or killed until that time comes.