In a recent Associated Press story, the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullin, stated that establishing security is critical to giving the Iraq government the ‘breathing space’ it needs to find a power sharing formula.  He goes on to say that political reconciliation and economic growth are equally important to stabilizing Iraq.“ Barring that”, he says, “no amount of troops or time will make much of a difference”.   In light of the fact that there is very little political progress being made in these two areas, what are you doing  to pressure the Bush administration to to pursue a intensive diplomatic surge at the highest level to assist the Iraqi government in their efforts to build a peaceful nation?  It is not enough to cite the limited progress made in Anbar province as evidence of the success of the military surge.  This progress was under way before the surge and was due to the fact that tribal leaders were fed up with the bloody influence of Al Qaeda in Iraq.   How many more Americans must die for a country that is not willing to take the difficult steps of national reconciliation among the various religious factions and armies in the country?