At least we're not fighting them over here.

I hear that a lot. From people on the streets, to people on television. It is a statement usually used as an excuse for the war in Iraq. I use the term excuse, because the event preceded the axiom. Whereas a justification or reson precedes the event.
The reasoning is that it is better to fight the terrorist threat in the middle east instead of on American soil. This reasoning is extremely disturbing to me as it once again removes the moral high ground from under the feet of the American soldier.
One of the most effective arguments for the war is that Saddam Hussein was a genocidal meglomaniac who used people as human shields. If we're fighting Al quaida in Iraq so we don't have to fight them here... Aren't WE using the Iraqi people as human shields?