Right-wing pundit Dick Morris explains it all on Fox News.  It seems that we need to have our soldiers in Iraq – to be killed.  Yes, if we give al Qaeda fresh young American bodies there, they won’t kill Americans here:

MORRIS: I think that withdrawal from Iraq — it obviously gives al Qaeda a huge victory. Huge victory. On the other hand, if we stay in Iraq, it gives them the opportunity to kill more Americans, which they really like.

One of the things, though, that I think the antiwar crowd has not considered is that, if we’re putting the Americans right within their arms’ reach, they don’t have to come to Wall Street to kill Americans. They don’t have to knock down the trade center. They can do it around the corner, and convenience is a big factor when you’re a terrorist.

So there you have it.  Why are U.S. troops in Iraq?  To make it conveeeeenient for terrorists.

Some plan.