Regardless of one's position on the war in Iraq, U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., raises a valid point in pressing for Iraq's billions of dollars in oil revenue to be used for reconstruction in that country — not American taxpayers' dollars.

Hours after the U.S. ambassador to Iraq told a congressional hearing that the United States is no longer involved in reconstruction work in Iraq, the Pentagon requested $500 million to rebuild Iraqi police stations.

Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, probably voiced the feelings of millions of Americans when he said, "It's an outrage that we're paying billions of dollars to reconstruct a country that is building up surpluses at our expense."

Many Americans remember that prior to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, it was suggested that Iraq's oil revenues would pay for reconstruction work. It's time to revisit that idea — and now, make sure it happens.

According to Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Iraq has budgeted $13 billion for reconstruction in 2008 and could add another $5 billion over the summer. But that is not enough. It appears that Iraqi officials will keep taking American taxpayer dollars for as long as they are available.

Finally, Congress is signaling that the flow of U.S. taxpayers' dollars for Iraq reconstruction should end. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress are starting to talk about Iraq's oil revenues easing the burden on American taxpayers.

It has been estimated that Iraq's oil revenue totaled $41 billion in 2007 and could be $56 billion in 2008. It's long past time for Iraq to spend its own money for reconstruction work. American taxpayers should no longer be picking up the tab.

A new program in the city's Island neighborhood, Neighbors That Care, hopefully will have a successful beginning by way of its April 19 cleanup of yards, streets and businesses in that area.The cleanup, scheduled for 8 a.m. until noon, will coincide with the annual Great Pennsylvania Cleanup, which, in turn, is part of the Great American Cleanup that began March 1 and continues through May 31.Neighbors That Care's intent is to hold monthly meetings, which, if they do take place, could promote ongoing efforts in the neighborhood.What is planned for the Island neighborhood on April 19 could, if imitated, benefit other neighborhoods, even without a group serving as the rallying force.Autumn and winter take a toll on a previous year's beautification efforts — or make worse conditions that were ignored the year before.But a successful cleanup requires many people to combine their energies; the people who are the foundation of Neighbors That Care can't be expected to accomplish the task by themselves.There was no shortage of people who came out to enjoy the Island's Bicycle Rodeo that was held each June through last year. That kind of neighborhood spirit should greet the Neighbors That Care cleanup.

Presumably the two female students who authored a "murder list" at Grove City High School weren't unaware of news reports about the school violence of recent years and schools' efforts to avoid such incidents. After all, one is a ninth-grade student and the other, in 11th grade.The perplexing question then becomes why the girls, before they began their troubling exercise, failed to recognize the potential consequences to themselves that could result from their stupid action. Obviously, they lacked the maturity to understand the psychological effect such a list could have on those whose names appeared on the list — as well as on their school in general.The list named a total of 48 students and teachers.Beyond that, leaving the list in a place where it could be found by someone else cemented the fact that the two students failed to understand the seriousness of what they were doing, as well as what consequences they might have to face once their involvement was discovered.They didn't understand how seriously the perceived threat would be regarded.Also, they obviously weren't listening at the beginning of the school year when school policies were explained.The two students were awaiting a final determination regarding their punishment, and school officials, after talking with them, apparently felt comfortable that the girls did not really harbor any intent to harm anyone. However, Superintendent Robert Post was correct in stating that discipline stemming from this incident should serve as a deterrent against similar actions in the future.Referring to the list, Post said, "It's not acceptable behavior in today's world."It is to be hoped that the two students are in the process of learning a lesson that will keep them on the right path for the rest of their lives.