Vermont snubs Bush

A belated thumbs up to Vermont. They became the first state in the country whose legislature passed a resolution calling for the immediate and orderly withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. The resolution overwhelmingly passed both chambers of the legislature.

"No one hates war more than a warrior. No father wishes their child would come home more than I," said Rep. Joseph Krawczyk, R-Bennington, a Vietnam veteran who was in the military for decades. "I know that she and all the soldiers who serve with her and those who served with me over 27 years would want me to be loyal to my oath and vote no on this resolution." Krawczyk's daughter is now in the military.

The elected officials know of what they speak. While Vermont is the most progressive state in the country, its residents do not shirk military service. More soldiers per capita from Vermont have been killed in Iraq than any other state in the nation.

Across the nation, small towns are quietly bearing a disproportionate burden of war. Nearly half of the more than 3,100 U.S. military fatalities in Iraq have come from towns like McKeesport (PA), where fewer than 25,000 people live, according to an analysis by The Associated Press. One in five hailed from hometowns of less than 5,000. On a per capita basis, states with mostly rural populations have suffered the highest casualties in Iraq. Vermont tops the list, the AP found.

Additionally, Many of the hometowns of the war dead aren't just small, they're poor. The AP analysis found that nearly three quarters of those killed in Iraq came from towns where the per capita income was below the national average. Rural communities are "being asked to pay a bigger price for this military adventure, if I can use that word, than their urban counterparts," explained University of New Hampshire professor William O'Hare.

Not surprising then that support for the Iraq war has dropped most precipitously in rural areas (where support has halved in the last three years) since they are the parts of America paying the highest price.

Apparently, a tad more than half of every dollar you pay in federal income tax goes to military spending. I guess this is the federal government's social services and economic development plan for rural areas.

I'm glad support for this insanity has collapsed. It's not really surprising that buyers' remorse has been strongest amongst those most heavily invested in it. But wouldn't it be nice if, for once, Americans pondered fully and completely the consequences of wars of aggression BEFORE they were launched, rather than after.

Just remember all this as the administration tries to continues to grease the skids for and deceitfully sucker Americans into a military action against Iran.