Insecurity is failing the American people miserably.

Essentially, when we run a deficit, we are borrowing money to buy things that are made overseas.

Similarly, establishing a firm timeline for bringing our troops home could accelerate the development of Iraqi security forces and deepen their commitment to defending their own country and their own government.

About 75 percent of the crude oil marketed here is sold off the books, and they are doing trades that would be illegal if it was a regulated market, and of course they do not want to regulate it.

In crude oil trading, we have seen a 46 percent increase over 1 year in the margins there.

Saddam Hussein was a brutal tyrant. I am glad he is now on trial for crimes against humanity. But, opposition to a dictator is not the measure I use when deciding whether to send our men and women in uniform off to war and possible death.

The U.S. must renounce any U.S. interest in constructing permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq.