Rome is Burning

Iraq is pure partisan debauchery. Republicans are dogmatically treading turbulent waters too stubborn to admit policy failure, and Democrats are holding out for policy failure in order to make big gains at the polls in ‘08. When political jockeying for narrow interests takes precedence over the lives of human beings, both foreign and domestic, rest assured, our political system has gone to pot. Its decadence at its worst…to pick a particularly poignant metaphor from the hat: Rome is burning. Anyone with half a brain can tell neither Democrats nor Republicans are positing anything realistic regarding Iraq. It doesn’t take long to figure out that staying the course doesn’t make much sense when its four years floundering. Likewise, the notion that Sunnis and Shi’ites will hold happy hour the second Dems hastily withdraw is equally non-sensical.

The scalding hot conditions on the Hill promise to get hotter with General Petraeus’ soon to be complete report on Iraq. While Democrats and Republicans anxiously sit in their trenches waiting, considerations to practicality and human decency should be made. Lives and nations weigh in the balance. Partisan grumbling and political jockeying must be abandoned, and the common good embraced. Perhaps then we’ll see a tinge of realism amongst our political representatives with regards to Iraq. If not, expect Congress and the White House’s approval ratings to continue to drop below freezing levels, and Rome to continue burning.