I won’t belabor it. The title says it all. I like the editorial in Netherlands” Handelsblad, and I paraphrase. Bush’s plan to send in 5 brigades has nothing to do with the actual security and stability of Iraq. Rather it will combat the symptoms instead of ending the civil war in progress. It is more of the same failed policy.

It doesn’t matter that the electorate has finally recognized the error of its ways and elected a democratic Senate and Congress. Politics are politics, and the president is still commander in chief. If Congress pulls the purse strings, it punishes the young men and women in the armed services who have already taken the brunt of this foolish man’s mistaken war against terror.

The lesson learned is that there must be much more open discussion concerning our internal and external policies in the future, and much less fear of being punished for going against the current political trends on the part of all, government officials, political parties, the press, and the ordinary people.

Unfortunately, in a democracy, once you’ve put the village idiot in charge, and you finally recognize the mistake, you’re stuck with him until the next election.