Even though President Bush has declared the war in Iraq over, the violence has not settled down, prompting contractors to rightfully reconsider their place in the country's reconstruction. Siemens AG and General Electric Co. made the right choice to suspend operations in the restructuring of Iraq.

The two companies recently halted work until the situation becomes safer. Bechtel and Halliburton, two companies with more significant contracts in the region, plan to continue their work already in progress but no longer will allow employees to travel to Iraq.

The safety of these companies' employees should take major precedence over any financial gain. With no particular end in sight to the fighting, it makes sense for them to at least temporarily discontinue their work within the country.

Although the process of rebuilding Iraq's society and economy may be slowed, it does not mean that these companies are shirking their responsibilities. They do plan to return and continue their work when they know their employees will be safe.

With his personal experience in advising Iraq's economic struggles, MSU President M. Peter McPherson said the violence is making the situation unsafe not only for the contractors, but for everyone.

"When you look at this over the period of a year, you see a movement toward not just trying to kill Americans, but taking on the whole society," he said. "And that's why it's become unsafe for contractors - because everybody's getting killed."

Contractors in Iraq know that their employees are targets. Not only are they in the war-torn country, but they are Americans, which paints huge bull's-eyes on their backs. Pulling out private employees was a smart, safe and humanitarian move.