sadness

I feel so alienated from both political parties. The bill that was just passed by the House of Representatives by a 223-201 vote calling for withdrawal from Iraq by 2008 has made clear a set of priorities that I have somehow failed to adopt but, apparently, everyone else has: we can only afford to continue to provide army personnel to train the Iraqi military and counter-terrorist operatives to protect our diplomats. Meaning that the U.S. is on the path to another bout of post-traumatic international isolationism, unresponsive to humanitarian crises? I can't say that I know what to do, but providing military training and assistance is only part of the solution. When/if the violence subsides in Iraq, the U.S. needs to be fully committed to maintaining a cease-fire, providing emergency relief services and aid, and then to beginning to build the infrastructure for sustainable local and state institutions that can provide basic public services. "Bring the troops home" and care for our returning soldiers: yes, perhaps it is time. But then begins the hard work of surveying the destruction and the level of material and economic investment that will be needed in the coming years - from Iraqis and the international community - to rebuild the country.