Almost 40 years ago, as an anti-war activist committed to ending the war in Vietnam, I observed a cycle of public interest in an unpopular war. Today, I am disturbed to see the same cycle at work.

Predictably, there is enormous public interest at the outset of war. There are hot debates, fierce battles and public uproar. Then, a period of complacency follows, when people seem to become distracted from the blood and gore. 

As casualty rates decrease or even remain steady, the media and the public tend to take a break from the war and focus on other issues. Meanwhile, nervous politicians who wonder if they are on the wrong side of the issue politically, fail to vigorously advance anti-war proposals. Then some huge atrocity occurs and outrage and debate is renewed.

During these lazy August days, we seem to be in the complacent period. Congress is in recess and everyone seems to have pulled back from fighting to end the brutality of this war. The fact of the matter is that despite the rhetoric and resolutions presented in Congress over the last few months, we still haven't found a consensus within the Democratic Party and among anti-war forces on how and when to bring our troops home.

While public support for ending the war has reached record levels, we seem to be stuck. Our party, and perhaps our nation, appears to believe that replacing Bush in 2008 will solve everything.

But we just can’t wait that long.

Even during these quiet days, death and destruction continue in Iraq. Civilians and soldiers are dying, while cities and infrastructure burn. The Iraqi government is falling apart and political divisions abound. We are not moving forward in Iraq – we are just standing still.

For the families who are losing loved ones in Iraq, the war still roars into their lives. While our soldiers still die their names are usually in the back pages of the newspapers. It isn’t considered news anymore unless we can break a monthly record for number of killed. If the tally of our soldiers killed isn’t in the triple digits for that month then it isn’t front page news.

Also remember that thousands are being injured and maimed. A short while ago the pages of our papers were filled with stories about appalling conditions at our veteran hospitals and the improper care and treatment of our injured. Everyone knows this problem has not been resolved but we no longer hear about this injustice to our wounded.

Meanwhile, only increasingly violent and deadly acts bring the war back to the front page here at home. Just last week, the media briefly focused on massive terrorist bombings in Arbil that killed at least 250 from the small Yazidi sect in Northern Iraq – the most civilians killed in a single coordinated attack so far. However, the media’s attention proved to be fleeting once again.

It is immoral to wait for the next election as a solution.. Even assuming that a Democrat is elected President, a new administration could not pull troops out for at least six months after a January 2009 inauguration. Two more years of death and destruction is simply not acceptable. 

We have to demand that our leaders be unrelenting in their opposition. That we stop waiting for reports to be issued. That this administration hear the people’s voice against this war every single day until it’s over. Otherwise the names of our dead will just continue to grow. Young names whose future has been take from them for no reason. Some young teenagers will die in this war have known war for 25% of their short lives.

The death continues and we are complicit. How can we continue to send our young men and women to die in a futile war while we wait?