When it comes to Iraq, one increasingly gets the sense that the endgame is near.  

Clearly, there’s no way of knowing how things will turn out.  But now may be a good time to begin asking, “What comes next?”  

Indeed, Iraq is only one of a host of foreign policy challenges that are pressing us now.  In this issue of the Forum, we attempt to review some of these challenges, and look at some of the opportunities, as well. 

We begin with an article by Texas Congressman Mac Thornberry.  He warns that we remain unprepared on one of the major fronts in the war on terror – the front of public opinion. Now that the power to persuade is as important as the power to fight, Thornberry argues that we are coming up short, and recommends ways we can shore things up. 

Closer to home, we take a look at the state of health care in rural America with David Beasley, former Governor of South Carolina who now heads a rural health task force for President Bush. With tax filing season upon us, we also ask two tax experts, Democrat Bob Greenstein and Republican Ernie Christian whether Americans are overtaxed. As you might suspect, they disagree. 

Finally, with the 2008 election season in full swing, Secretaries of State Sam Reed (R-WA) and Deb Markowitz (D-VT) discuss a bipartisan plan that would not only reform the presidential primary process, but also restore some common sense to the way we pick our Chief Executive. 

We hope you enjoy this issue of the Forum, and encourage you to contact us at editor@riponsociety.org with any thoughts or suggestions you have with regard to the search for ideas, and the public policy debate.  

                                                                        Bill Frenzel
                                                                        Chairman Emeritus
                                                                        Ripon Society