The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 was supposed to be quick and easy - a repeat of the 1991 Persian Gulf War that chased Iraq out of Kuwait. Operation Iraqi Freedom quickly ousted dictator Saddam Hussein from power, but nearly two-and-half years later U.S., Iraqi and coalition troops are still fighting an increasingly violent insurgency. Many Americans - members of the public as well as lawmakers - are questioning how long U.S. troops should stay in Iraq and whether the war is making the United States safer from terrorism. Nearly 2,000 American soldiers have died in Iraq and at least 10 times that many Iraqi civilians. Public support for the war is at an all-time low. Critics say the U.S. presence in Iraq is turning it into a magnet for terrorists determined to kill Americans and that it's time to get out. Supporters say leaving now could mean civil war in Iraq and more turmoil in the oil-rich Middle East.

Pamela M. Prah is a veteran reporter who recently joined CQ Researcher after several years reporting in Washington for Stateline.org, Kiplingers Washington Letter and the Bureau of National Affairs. She holds a masters degree in government from Johns Hopkins University and a journalism degree from Ohio University.