What better way to bring Lent to an end than with another war? Notice how fond our draft-dodger president has become of using the military, when it's not his butt on the line.

At any given time, there are more than 100 conflicts around the world, many of which are far more horrific than Kosovo. Yet, it is our country's "moral obligation" to get involved in this one. I must ask: Why, exactly?

A friend and I were having lunch two days into the Kosovo engagement, and the TV news headlines blared: President Milosevic STILL hasn't given in to NATO's demands. Gee, my friend remarked, it's been two whole days already. But, in this age of instant gratification, the Gen-X news babes and dudes actually were surprised!

Let's look at a little US history, to get a handle on tragic and useless military activities:

1.   1861--The Civil War, of course, is still the big winner. Well over 1 million casualties were logged, with more than half a million deaths. Americans killing other Americans. Incredible to contemplate, but all too true. A scant four score and six years after our own revolutionary war began, Lincoln showed that he believed that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth--or he'll kill you.

2.   1917--the Great War, or the "war to end all wars." Well, hey, it worked for 21 years! And relatively speaking, US casualties weren't so bad. 116,516 dead and 204,002 wounded.

3.   1950--Korea. The US sustained 142,000 casualties, to re-establish the North/South Korea border at the pre-war 38th parallel.

4.   1960's--Vietnam. We LOST this one, baby. The effects of the long conflict were harsh for all involved. More than 47,000 Americans were killed in action, nearly 11,000 died of other causes, and more than 303,000 were wounded.

Well, you get the picture... I left out WWII because, at least, the US was attacked--but even that is kind of begging the question.

Which brings us back to Kosovo.

This time, the public is divided about 50:50. I suppose as long as it's a video game war where only the "bad guys" get hurt, we won't care. But, somehow, when American boys (and now girls!!) come home in body bags, the political impetus to continue will be lost.

So much the better. It's time to stop playing follow the leader, with these leaders.

Lincoln--his ego caused the deaths of more Americans than any conflict in our history.

Wilson--the nutty professor leading us into battle.

Truman--Imagine. An entire career based on revenge of the nerds. It culminated when Mr. Geek got to fire MacArthur--the popular all-star quarterback.

Johnson--Landslide Lyndon stole the Senate election in 1948, and became power mad.

Let America solve its own problems before we take on the rest of the world's.