e've been waging this war for a greater period of time than the United States and the allies took to defeat Germany and Japan in World War II. The carnage continues with no end in sight; no likely resolve. An editorial in the New York Daily News asked couldn't critics give Bush's new plan "at least an hour", before pronouncing it a failure. They added, "Yes, Iraq is a nightmare", and our mission there may well be doomed, but they felt that the so-called "surge" should be given a chance to succeed. There are now very few people, anywhere, who believe that the fundamental problems in Iraq can be solved by military means. Sending more of our troops into the middle of a civil war is, in no way, making this a more secure country. It not only weakens us here at home, it lowers the respect that countries around the world have for us.

Sen. Jim Webb the Virginia Democrat and former Sec. of the Navy rebuffed the president when he contended , "it's an inverted political logic for people to basically say that we have to continue this war for the good of the troops. The troops are fighting this war on our behalf because we are continuing it. That's a vital distinction in the debate here."
It is good for a Democrat, like myself, to once again see the party in the majority in both the House and Senate, but we should not forget that when the war was approved, we were also in the majority in both houses. Again,we helped put us there in Iraq. Now, returned to the majority, it becomes, again, a responsibility to help end this war - now. The President's proposals surely won't do it. This is the most divisive issue in this country, and Republican Senator Chuck Hagel asks, appropriately, "Can't we debate the most critical issue of our time, out front, in front of the American people?"
Midweek the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted, 12-9, in favor of a resolution denouncing President Bush's plan to build up US troops in Iraq to try and calm Baghdad and root out insurgents in Anbar Province. Of course, the vote confirms to our friends and allies that we are divided on this war, on our policies, and our president; an unfortunate fact of life.

Has it struck you that this country has been governed by either a Bush or a Clinton since 1988. And maybe there's more to come; from the Republicans the former governor of Florida, Jeb Bush and, the Democrat Senator from New York, Hillary Clinton. Maybe it's time for a complete change - we'll know, soon enough.