above!  Ms. McCollum shall receive a copy in her in box next Tuesday morning.

Here's my problem at the moment, though.  I am one of what many on this site call a "purist."  I am in favor of cutting the funding today, and redeploying the troops TODAY.  I do not consider myself a purist in this, I consider myself an optimist.  But I am getting less optimistic with each passing day.

How strong is opposition to the Iraq war in this country?  The lukewarm response for calls to action over the last four years is not exactly encouraging on that front.  So Ms. McCollum may be correct in her assessment that the majority of voters would like to see an end to the war, but aren't convinced that defunding it is the best way to do that, or indeed, that there is any urgency about ending the war, as long as we get around to ending it "sometime soon."

Let's just take one example of lukewarm antagonism to the war:  there was a very-well publicized protest against the surge in January.  It was nation-wide.  For the protest in St. Paul, MN, approximately 50 people showed up.  Within two miles of this protest are five private colleges.  The UofM is less than three miles away, with 40K+ students.  In fact, one of the private colleges, with a reputation for liberalism, is less than two blocks away.  Not one student showed up.  Not one.  99% of those protesting were over fifty years of age.  What are our senators and representatives seeing, then:  they are seeing a very, very small number of aging people who are upset about the war.  Very, very small.

It's discouraging.