Prominence of War

This week, the Iraq war claimed its rightful prominence in American politics, forcing an important realignment of political strength in Congress.

One of the most terrifying scenarios in George Orwell's novel "1984" was that future governments might carry on wars while the general population seemed barely to notice that a war was going on or who the opponent was. Tuesday's election proved that the United States population has not reached that point of docility. Commentators were unanimous that the Iraq war was the top issue for the electorate across the country. That's as it should be. Any time this nation is involved in armed struggle, that is an issue—pro or con—that ought to top the price of gas in voters' minds.

Not that the answers are clear when it comes to Iraq. The fact that the Democrats have come into a certain amout of power in Washington means that now Iraq is their problem, too, not just something that the Bush administration can be blamed for. And none of the alternatives in the Mideast are palatable.

At least, one hopes, the result of these elections will widen the conversation, forcing the White House to listen to different voices and come into some new and creative reality-based thinking about what to do about the dreadful mess that has been created in Iraq by American blundering.