EDITORIAL - There is no question that the war in Iraq is not going as intended. It would take a fool to look at the Bush administration?s proposals for victory in Iraq and conclude that everything went right. But, that is not the issue. That never has been the real issue.

Last week, Rep. John Murtha called for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. I cannot imagine what this kind of rhetoric is doing to the morale of our troops fighting in the desert sands of Iraq, but our troops are bigger, better and tougher than our politicians. Our troops have led the United States to some of the most recognized victories that the world has ever seen, and they can do it again, provided they have support from home and competent senior military officials leading them into combat.

Cutting and running from Iraq should not be an option. I want our troops home as soon as the next person, but finishing the job in Iraq needs to be a priority not only for the sake of stability in the Middle East, but to serve as a visible commitment the United States needs to have to finish what we started.

Yesterday, the question of pulling out immediately was put to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Republican members of the House. The motion was rejected with a vote of 403-3. Whether it failed due to honest objections or as a protest to the vote itself does not matter. A vote should not have happened. The suggestion from John Murtha should never have been uttered. We need to find a way to finish the war, not abandon it, even if it would take six full months to ?immediately? withdrawal.

Democratic congress people and other paid strategists opined on this issue through television media, which seemed overwhelming as of late. Although they resist directly agreeing with Rep. Murtha, they continuously cite the public?s apparent disgust on how the war is being conducted and the evidence the Bush administration used to win approval from almost all members of congress.

But, there is a striking difference between the American people?s dislike for how the war was run and the American people supporting an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops. I share the people?s disgust over the planning that took place to win the war, but I know that a withdrawal will signal something powerful to those who hate the United States.

It signals that we have deep weaknesses, even at the heart of our nation. It sends a message to terrorists around the world that with enough drive and determination, it is possible to defeat the U.S. military and convince the American people that maybe, just maybe, the presence of terrorism around the world cannot be defeated. It will encourage extremists to continue to fight, to continue to kill, to continue to terrorize because perhaps ? the United States will retreat again.

There is no question that the military will remain in Iraq until the job is finished. To do that successfully, however, our troops need a plan of success. Military strategists would be wise to take what we have learned thus far in the war and use that to move forward quickly, swiftly and carefully. The quicker we succeed, the quicker our troops return home. Let?s finish this war. Let?s get them home.