Trypanosomes Genome Sequenced

I am very happy to hear that the genetic sequences of three virulent parasites have been determined. This information will be extremely valuable for the rational design of new drugs including small molecules and perhaps interfering RNA. What really impressed me about this research however, is just how cheap it was. The total cost for the project was in the ballpark of 32 million dollars, some of which came from the national institute of health. Knowing how tremendously beneficial this will be, I am convinced that our tax dollars are far better spent on this than on overpaying Haliburton, KBR, or other military contractors. Considering that popular support for the war in Iraq was based on a series of lies by the Bush administration, and that its cost exceeds 200 Billion dollars and the lives of over a thousand Americans and countless Iraqis, perhaps it would have been better to let Saddam have his fun for a while and cure some tragic diseases or switch the whole country over to alternative energy instead.