Another American failure in Iraq.

After more than 2 1/2 years of sputtering reconstruction work, the United States' "Marshall Plan" to rebuild this war-torn country is drawing to a close this year with much of its promise unmet and no plans to extend its funding.

The $18.6 billion approved by Congress in 2003 will be spent by the end of this year, officials here say. Foreign governments have given only a fraction of the billions they pledged two years ago.

With the country still a shambles, U.S. officials are promoting a tough-love vision of reconstruction that puts the burden on the Iraqi people.

"The world is a competitive place," Tom Delare, economics counselor at the U.S. Embassy, said this month during a news briefing. "You have to convince the investor that it is worth his while to put his money in your community."

I want nothing more in my life then to, once again, be proud of my country. As long as George Bush is the president of my country I know that I will never get to feel that.

We attack this country. We destroy their homes. We kill their families. We make their every day lives unbelievably dangerous by allowing terrorists into their country where there never were any before. Then we have the audacity to tell them "We are sorry but you are going to have to clean all of this up. We just don't have the time or money to finish the job."

And then we still expect these people to thank us for removing Saddam Hussein and saving them from their normal lives?

The problem with this president is that he is constantly making these grandiose promises in front of the cameras and the American people.
He promises to provide for our military and then cuts funds to the Veterans Administration.
He promises to rebuild New Orleans and then leaves them high and dry.
He promises to fight terror and then appoints the worst possible people to head up Homeland Security and FEMA.
He promises to catch Osama Bin Laden and then later tells us that that is no longer a priority. He promises the Iraqis that he will not desert them and then allows people to take advantage of them, to kill them indiscriminately, and to steal their oil and the money that was supposed to go for reconstruction.
He promises, and promises, and promises, but he never delivers.

So I am going to wait. Someday I will be proud to be an American again! Someday we will earn the trust of the world again! Someday I will know that my child is safe in this country again! Someday!