] The panelists included: U.S. Rep. Melissa Hart,
] R-Pennsylvania, USA Today reporter Tom Squitieri, Lt.
] Col. Steve Grove of the U.S. Army and Col. John C. Burns,
] a faculty member of the Naval War College. The discussion
] was led by political analyst Jon Delano.
]
] While the speakers offered varying points of view on the
] situation in Iraq, all agreed that Americans must support
] and respect the troops currently fighting the battle.
]
] "I believe we have an unanimous agreement around the
] country that the men and women and the leadership are
] doing the best job that they can do," Delano said.
]
] The panelists also agreed that the war, not only in Iraq
] but on terrorism as a whole, is not one which will be
] over soon. But, instead, one that may last for
] generations.
]
] "The global war on terrorism is generational," said
] Burns, a 1980 graduate who rejoined the Naval War College
] faculty in August following a tour as the chief of
] operations for the Coalition Force Land Component
] Command.
]
] Burns and Grove, a 1983 graduate who has served on two
] deployments in Iraq as senior intelligence officer for
] the 82nd Airborne Division, believe that Americans at
] home are not necessarily hearing the successes of the
] battle in Iraq, but instead the sensationalized headlines
] from the media.