December 6, 2004
A new wave of violence has begun in Iraq.
More than 80 people were killed over the weekend.
Yesterday, there was an attack on the U.S. consulate in Jedda, Saudi Arabia.
Eight people were killed, none of them Americans.
Three of the five terrorists were killed and the other two were wounded and captured.
Look for things to get worse, because Iran and much of the rest of the Islamic world doesn't want the Iraqi people to make their own decisions and they certainly don't want to see democracy and America victorious in that country or in that region.
Elections remain scheduled for January 30 in Iraq and they should be held no matter what.
My own view is that we need to put as many American forces in there as necessary to keep the terrorists from wrecking the election.
Once an elected government is in power and their troops properly trained, we can pull back.
But there is too much at stake-for Iraq and the United States - to let terrorists run and ruin the country.
The president is right to stand fast.
The stakes don't get any bigger than this.
I'm Cal Thomas in Washington.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C. Watch his television show, After Hours with Cal Thomas, on the Fox News Channel, Saturdays at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
