Four years ago the United States declared war on the country of Iraq and dropped bombs on its capital city of Baghdad.

Four years ago this country entered into a war that still has no end in sight.

We saw "Mission Accomplished" and celebrated with the president.

Now we cringe at the thought of it.

Four years ago most Penn State students were still in high school. We had no way of knowing our generation's Vietnam had just begun.

We said goodbye to friends and family who were being deployed overseas. We mourned those who never came back, and we hoped no more would be sent away.

Four years ago our faith in our military, our Congress, our president was still strong. They must know what they're doing, we assumed.

We all supported the troops, but some of us began to question the war.

Four years ago we were sure there were weapons of mass destruction hidden somewhere in the land of Iraq.

Saddam was hiding them, we were told.

But our president was wrong. Again.

Four years ago the thought of more than 3,000 U.S. troops dying in Iraq wasn't even fathomable.

Six more were killed just over the weekend.

Four years ago a war protester was unpatriotic.

Thousands called for a withdrawal from war this week.

Four years ago, we believed the people of Iraq deserved democracy, and we thought the United States was the perfect entity to deliver it.

Now, we realize spreading democracy comes at a high price, especially when some sects of a nation are not receptive to it.

Four years ago, we thought the invasion of Baghdad would be a quick trip to the desert. After all, we do have the most powerful military in the world, we thought.

This week, that quick trip hit its four-year anniversary, now a slow journey through a quagmire.

Four years ago, we entered into war with Iraq and left another war unfinished in Afghanistan.

Now, we see that move has stretched our forces too thin, leaving troops in Afghanistan vulnerable to insurgent attacks.

Four years ago, we were told that if Saddam Hussein were ousted, peace was possible in Iraq.

Now, we have learned that one man wasn't the entire problem. Now, we've learned our own country and leader may be part of the problem.

Four years ago today the Bush administration thrust the United States into a war we never had any business declaring.

And it seems now all we can do is hope for a better tomorrow.