The Good: In 2007 the United States lead a surge of troops into Iraq to help police the streets and lower levels of violence. Opinions on the war aside, it has now been determined that the surge is no longer needed and 3,500 troops will be going home in the next few weeks. This release of troops is the product of “continued progress in Iraq” according to General Allyn, chief of staff of Multi-National Corps. Even more exciting is that two more groups of soldiers are slated to be released in July of 2008.

While seeing troops come home is wonderful, there are still some 127 thousand troops in Iraq. Regardless of your feeling for or against the war, if we want to bring these hardworking men and women home, we need to start doing it in larger numbers. Maybe next year we will see an increase in troops coming home.

The Bad: A massive cyclone hit the small country of Myanmar Friday and Saturday, battering the country. Myanmar, sometimes referred to as Burma, faced a 12-foot tidal wave, pounding wind and rain, and more destruction than what has been seen in the country in many years. Myanmar’s government, a military junta, opened its doors to ask for help from other countries for the first time in years.

The current source of aide for the country is from the Red Cross, other aid agencies, including the UN, are still working for visas into the country. The death toll has now been confirmed as 22,464 with 41,000 people still missing. Houses are wiped out, people are living under small pieces of tarp, and food is stretched thin. If you would like to help, please donate to the Red Cross to help their efforts.