Grand Canyon...

One of the best movies I've ever seen is Grand Canyon. The theme is that we're often faced with very bad circumstances in our life, which will suprisingly lead to something very good (and vice-versa). As you're in the middle of what you think is the worst thing possible, something really great is just around the corner.

In that vein, the war in Iraq, and more broadly, the War on Terror looks to be in bad shape. About the best thing one can say about Iraq is that we're in a stalemate. The sectarian fighting does have the potential to descend Iraq into a civil war. No one seems to be willing to effectively confront Iran. Hezbollah, while having been pounded more than they're admitting, did hold off long enough to claim victory over Israel. It all appears to be headed in the wrong direction.

I'm not the only one with this view. My main guys are feeling it too. So, what an inspiration it was to read in the comments to one of their posts...

"THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly...."

Thank you, brentbo.