Ohio humor writer gets serious about the war...

[SallyMander]

From Joe Blundo's column in this morning's Columbus Dispatch.

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"I feel your pain, Gov. Ted Strickland.

Our temperate governor permitted himself an intemperate remark recently when he said Ohio shouldn't have to take in Iraqi refugees from this misbegotten war.

'I think Ohio and Ohioans have contributed a lot in terms of blood, sweat and too many tears,' Strickland said.

...

Strickland later backtracked and said he was speaking out of frustration and would welcome Iraqi refugees.

Well, governors aren't allowed to speak out of frustration. But I can certainly identify with the impulse. Who isn't frustrated by this muddle of blood and wasted billions?

Strickland's comments just fueled the internal debate that I have with myself over Iraq and don't want to tell you about.

But I will, anyway.

Even as part of me — let's call it Part A — was tsk-tsking Strickland's remark, Part B wanted to say, "Right on, Ted."

Far too many lives have been lost and far too many dollars spent, Part B wanted to say.

Let "the Decider" and his decidekicks figure out how to extricate themselves from this quagmire they opted to enter. Ohio is checking out."

Read the whole thing at http://www.dispatch.com/features-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/02/25/20070225-H1-01.html