This following appeared on the web page of the San Antonio Express-News (Comment: Blame game won't save lives, but withdrawal from Iraq will ) :

Comment: Blame game won't save lives, but withdrawal from Iraq will

Web Posted: 06/29/2006 12:00 AM CDT

Sarwat Husain

The recent deaths of the two young American soldiers in Iraq are another extremely painful reminder of the unnecessary war we are fighting in Iraq and its tragic consequences.

On behalf of the American Muslim community, I extend our sincerest condolences to the families of Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, and Pfc. Thomas Tucker, 25, for their tragic loss.

We are deeply disturbed by the way they were barbarically tortured and killed. We do not know for sure who perpetrated these crimes or who the killers were. They could be insurgents, al-Qaida affiliates or just petty criminals. Regardless, there is no doubt that they are cold-blooded murderers.

As soon as the news reports of the slayings appeared, the Muslim community started receiving blame, accusations of collective guilt and demands for apologies. If such apologies and condemnation statements, which Muslim organizations and groups issue each time any such crime is committed against coalition soldiers, would prevent further killings, these latest murders would not have taken place.

Instead of this juvenile blame game, which does not achieve any constructive understanding, let all of us Americans join hands and truly start working together to stop any more loss of lives.

These brutal, savage and barbaric killings are a product of every war fought in history. As Congressman Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, said, "The truth is that in the name of fighting terrorism we are creating more terrorists."

The Bush administration wanted to topple Saddam Hussein to free Iraqis from his brutal dictatorship and bring a regime change. We have successfully done that. Three years ago, President Bush even went to Iraq to declare and celebrate the "mission accomplished." That moment gave all of us hope that our loved ones on the front lines of this war would be coming home soon, safe and sound, to their families.

Three years and thousands of lives later, both political parties are still blaming and blasting at each other for what is going on.

Once again, the measures calling for the withdrawal of our troops have been killed in the Senate, only because this issue could prove decisive in the November congressional elections and the 2008 presidential race.

For the sake of not losing anymore lives to this unprecedented war, we must demand an unconditional withdrawal of all American forces from the war zone. Nearly 60 percent of Americans in a recent Pew Research Center study regard the decision to invade and occupy Iraq as wrong from the start.

In support of keeping our troops at war for an unspecified time, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said, "Withdrawal is not an option; surrender is not a solution."

Sure, we all understand that pulling out of Iraq is not going to be that easy. But then again, it is not easy to see our sons and daughters lose their lives in this unnecessary war either.

We cannot continue to commit our young boys and girls for an open-ended military occupation of this oil-rich country.

It is time for action. "Withdrawal" means saving lives. It will never constitute "surrender."

On the contrary, withdrawal will be regarded as an act of courage and heroism in the annals of history.

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Sarwat Husain is president of the Council on American Islamic Relations-San Antonio.

I wrote about moslem service members in the U.S. military here:
http://herbertsobel.blogspot.com/2005/03/why-we-fight-personal-view.html
My opinion and observations have not changed since then. For this louse of a CAIR spokesman to say,

it is not easy to see our sons and daughters lose their lives in this unnecessary war either.

, I'm going to need to see a list of names. BTW, Sarwad, when does this war become necessary? After the River Walk gets bombed? After Sears Tower falls? Also, Sarwad, if you had any useful education at all you'd know the relationship between a campaign and a war. You would also know what has happened in the past when America has withdrawn and allowed chaos to reign.

The men and women fighting for the U.S. are my brothers and sisters, my sons and daughters. If there are moslems among them who consider themselves Americans first, then they are part of my family; no matter how much we may disagree about some matters.

(hat tip: LGF)