May 7, 2007 8:54 AM

Why Are Kansas's Tents in Iraq?

The Iraq War has been, in many ways, a diversion. The President has used it to divert our attention from his Administration's power-grabs. It has diverted our money and energy from domestic problems, such as healthcare, energy infrastructure and poverty. It has diverted our focus from the real work of tackling terrorism and rebuilding Afghanistan.

And now, we realize, it has diverted essential resources that we really need here at home:

The governor said the state's response was limited by the shifting of emergency equipment, such as tents, trucks and semitrailers, to the war in Iraq.

"Not having the National Guard equipment, which used to be positioned in various parts of the state, to bring in immediately is really going to handicap this effort to rebuild," Sebelius said.

No, the Iraq War didn't cause the tornado in Kansas. President Bush didn't cause the tornado in Kansas. But once again, he's revealed how much less secure his policies have left our country.