"Everyone is looking towards their election and planning on making their vote count. And through the democratic process people will most likely be elected based on their plans for the economy and the war. I believe this next election will end up ending the war as we know and understand it."

Not everyone, Jason. I know a lot of people who are pissed off and disillusioned with these political and economic systems. To say "Everyone" is pretty disingenuous. I hope you're right about the next election ending the Iraq war, but I'm not holding my breath. Also, it's not just this war that needs to end, but all wars.

"There are so many good people out there helping to make the Iraqi people self-sufficiant so that they can determine their own destiny and we never have to be on their soil again."

I'm not sure if you know history, but Iraq wasn't a war torn and impoverished area before we came. They had a tremendous literacy rate and some of the best healthcare out there--comparable to our own. It was only after we started lobbing and dropping bombs on them (civilians, hospitals, power plants, water facilities--all war crimes) that they're whole existence changed. They had self-determination--one reason we invaded--before we invaded.

"Right now people are packaging up school supplies for Iraqi children so that those little boys and girls will be better educated than their parents. Right now medical supplies are being gathered by non-profits and shipped into Iraq so that people can get the health care they need rather than relying on the militants who extort support from others through the hording of medical supplies and food. Right now American citizens are educating others on what Islam is so that we can undertand their culture and traditions and not be afraid of a culture that is different than ours."

Your charity crap really annoys me, by the way. It's pretty Orwellian, no? US tax payers give money to the government to lay waste to sovereign nations so predominantly US-based private corporations can go in and rebuild their country at theirs and our expense. Then, we have the folks who want to "make a difference" through "feel good acts" of charity and then go around complaining that the world hates us after all we've done for them. It makes me sick.

"so what have you been doing with your time?"

I noticed that you never really explained your role in things. You use amorphous terms like "people," "non-profits," and "American citizens" to talk about all the good we're doing. Then you ask what have I been doing. I'm not going to address that question because I don't think it's fair. If you wanna ask what I've been doing, tell me what you've been doing and leave the amorphous crap out of it.

Thanks!

Ted-