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Your e-mails: 'It is time to admit our error'

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(CNN) -- Almost 2,800 Americans have been killed so far in Iraq. The danger faced by U.S. troops in the war-torn country comes through in chilling video obtained by CNN from the Islamic Army of Iraq, one of the most active insurgent organizations in Iraq, showing its sniper teams targeting U.S. troops.

We asked CNN.com readers if the ongoing threat to the lives of U.S. troops in Iraq has changed their views of the war. Here is a selection of their responses, some of which have been edited.

I have been opposed to the war in Iraq from the beginning. Unfortunately, it has been a tragedy for all concerned. We must change course. Continuing to do the same thing while expecting a different result is simply not acceptable. It is time to admit our error and to begin to move forward in a new direction.
Barbara Dunaway, Santa Barbara, California

My opinion remains the same from the beginning - we are trying to bring democracy to a people who have been slaughtered for 2 decades under a horrific regime. This type of horror should not exist in a civilized world where other people are free. We are doing the right thing by helping the good people of Iraq and our daughter who is serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq agrees - that's why she's there.
Darlene Asuega, Redondo Beach, California

My feelings towards this war have not changed much since the beginning. There are those that believe we are over there for oil, or to settle a debt from 9/11. It may be a small part, but I think while we are bringing the war to [the terrorists], they are having a much harder time bringing it to us. I am saddened to hear whenever there are reports of a U.S. solider killed, but imagine all the lives [the soldier] has saved. The poor people of Iraq would be going through a similar situation whether or not we were over there attempting to help. War is war, there is nothing good about it, but yet it is a necessary evil sometimes. I respect everything our troops are doing to protect us, and I know I will sleep better at night knowing my family is that much safer, because we are taking a proactive stance toward terrorism.
Mark Sommer, Charlotte, North Carolina

I, like many Americans, gave the Bush administration the benefit of the doubt prior to the start of the war. Since then, with no weapons of mass destruction to be found, the tribal warfare which has historically existed in Iraq preventing progress in the move toward democracy, the thousands of military personnel who have died, and the billions of US dollars that are being spent on this effort instead of important domestic problems, I am appalled and disgusted that we are now stuck in what appears to be a no-win situation.
Diana Ananda, Bellevue, Kentucky

In February 2003, I thought a war with Iraq was unnecessary, unwise, and unlawful... Three years later, more than 2,700 U.S. troops killed, 20,000 plus injured, 650,000 or so Iraqis dead, and no end it sight. My opinion has not changed. Hey, what do I know? I learned all this from various news sources; too bad the Bush administration was not listening to their own experts.
John Marsh, East Lansing, Michigan

I would like to see our boys come home sooner rather than later. However, I am for staying the course and finishing the job we started over there. It is but just one front in the war on terror. If we don't meet them head on and kill them in their back yard they will be coming over here to kill us in our back yards. We need to be proactive in this fight! Our fighting men and women are doing a great job except for a few bad apples. We may need to change some of our strategy but we need to keep the pressure on the fanatic terrorists, bring freedom and security to the people of Iraq!
Warren E., Belen, New Mexico

My opinion has not changed. George Bush sr. was smart enough to not invade. Now we are playing the typical American denial game. What's so hard about saying "We screwed up?" Not only are innocent lives being lost, and billions of dollars being wasted, but we have created a potent militant factory that has increased the likelihood of terrorism and isolated the U.S. from the rest of the world.
John Cummings, Lyndonville, New York

My opinion of the war remains unchanged. We never should have gone there as these people have been killing each other for generations and will continue to do so after we are gone. To enter into this war was like hitting a hornet's nest with a stick to see what would happen. We'll we found out. The billions of our country's tax dollars are gone forever and we could have helped a lot of our own needy citizens and the world would think better of us. Perhaps we would lose our most hated nation status if we would mind our own business.
Frank Connor, Plantation, Florida

My opinion of Iraq has not changed. It is a fact of battle that you will lose soldiers. Those soldiers are people who have families and friends back home that care very much about them, and it is a tragedy every time a soldier is killed. I also think the majority of our soldiers that are fighting for the U.S. believes in what they are fighting for. I also believe in their mission, even though it is tough, and hard to accept our soldiers' sacrifices, I believe it is necessary. Their mission is just, and their sacrifices are real and for that they will all ways have my respect.
Mike, Minnesota

My view has never changed. I told my wife before we went over there this would happen. Saddam was never a threat to us. We should get out of there and let them settle their own problems. As much as I hate to say this it looks like Hussein, as cruel as he was, knew more about keeping things quiet than Bush does.
Wilmer Cousins, Watertown, New York

I was against invading Iraq from the beginning. The passage of time has only served to confirm my original opinion. It's a politician's war just like Vietnam and may eventually prove to be an even bigger quagmire. The only difference between the Vietnam and the Iraqi war is that the soldiers have the public's sympathy and support and the administration is catching the public's animosity.
Jon Jernigan, Memphis, Tennessee

My opinion in favor of our war with terrorists in Iraq has only grown over the past few years. We are now starting to get a feeling for loss the people of Iraq experienced on a daily basis before our invasion. Many have died in Iraq since 2003, but far more innocent civilians died before the war. Where were the news reports then? I get very disturbed when I see the constant news reports that our soldiers are dying compared to the few reports of the successes our soldiers earn and experience. Keep the military zone off U.S. soil, fight terrorism at its inception, rather than react to it after the fact.
Scott Marshall, Hartford, Connecticut

I had concerns during the pre-war military build up in Kuwait, however I trusted that our intelligence agencies, and elected officials had access to information that the average American didn't. I am now convinced that this is a very dishonest and corrupt administration. The American people were lied to and our tax dollars were wasted. It is time for a massive change in Washington.
John Engel, Neenah, Wisconsin

I was against the idea of going into Iraq. I was in Manhattan on 9/11 and though scared, I didn't know of any of the terrorists being from Iraq. I changed my mind a bit when [British P.M. Tony] Blair was on board. I thought he must know something as I did not trust Bush. Not really shocking that Iraq is now in chaos. Why didn't we go in and help the infrastructure first rather than go after the oil fields? Why didn't our government realize the problems Iraq had between Shias and Sunnis?... Iraq has made us look weak.
Robin Bates-Mason, New Canaan, Connecticut


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A still image from the insurgents' video shows U.S. soldiers being targeted by a sniper.

SPECIAL REPORT

• Interactive: Who's who in Iraq
• Interactive: Sectarian divide

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