Winning the war? At what cost?

In a casual conversation the other day, a very sweet but very conservative gentleman commented that America needed to "win the war".

First of all, can someone tell me what we "win"? Is there a prize, a trophy, a ribbon that I don't know about?

Or is this about ego? Is this like the man who refuses to ask directions-- because he refuses to admit he's lost?

Are we banging our heads against the wall... in order to demolish the building... in order to say we cleared the lot for a new structure? What good is it to have a new structure after we've bashed our brains in for twenty years trying to remove the wall?

Just think, if the taxpayers in my congressional district (2-Rep. Mike Simpson) didn't spend our $206.6 million that we are instead spending on the Iraq War in FY2008, our district would be able to provide...

• 56,247 Idahoans with Health Care OR
• 171,088 Homes with Renewable Electricity OR
• 5,088 Public Safety Officers OR
• 3,920 Music and Arts Teachers OR
• 52,071 Scholarships for University Students OR
• 22 New Elementary Schools OR
• 1,903 Affordable Housing Units OR
• 131,142 Children with Health Care OR
• 23,974 Head Start Places for Children OR
• 3,920 Elementary School Teachers

This is our money... used for the war in Iraq. I guess Idaho doesn't have residents needing health care, children needing teachers or schools, young people needing help with tuition, or families needing affordable housing.

So... tell me... who's winning what here? And who is really paying for it?