Iraq and Afganistan have, in some respects, been like most wars: Soldiers sacrifice for their country and too often die.

But these conflicts have been also been different in that the burdens of war have been lifted from the shoulders of so many and borne by so few.

Our all-volunteer force is the most effective and professional in the world. But there is no draft, which means that the same men and women are deployed over and over to the war zones. It also means that most families have little contact with the military or the sacrifices of soldiers and their families.

Then there’s the cost of the war. A decision was made from the beginning to fund these wars “off the books,” meaning the U.S. government continues to borrow billions each year to pay for the fighting. It was recently estimated that putting one soldier on the ground in Afghanistan costs $1 million per year.

Our first good idea comes from House Appropriations Committee Chairman David R. Obey (D-Wis.) who is advocating a war surtax to pay for any further expansions of the war, including President Obama’s expected troop surge for Afghanistan.

Both Republicans and Democrats make a lot of noise about cutting the federal deficit. Most Americans, meanwhile, proudly display ribbons and flags proclaiming their support for the troops.

An appropriate tax would give us all the opportunity to act on our beliefs and better connect us with the sacrifices of war. This is our war, and we should spare future generations the burden of paying for it.

The second good idea is, well, our own.

We were moved last month by the coverage of the pre-dawn ceremony at Dover Air Force Base for 18 returning war dead attended by the president. The solemn military process is always the same and carried out with dignity and precision.

After watching the ceremony, it occurred to us that every such arrival should be attended by a member of Congress. Every fallen soldier passes through Dover, and we are sure families would appreciate this symbolic gesture.

Plus, while we are sure members of Congress know when soliders from their home states have died in battle, attending the transfer ceremony would directly connect them with the gravity of their decisions.

Dover is only 88 miles from Washington. Joe Biden, while a senator from Delaware, was famous for making that daily commute aboard Amtrak. The train ride would give members of Congress time to ponder the true cost of war.

Our final idea: Last week, the federal government fined three airlines $175,000 for stranding 47 passengers for nine hours on the tarmac at an airport in Rochester, Minn., on Aug. 8.

The passengers on Continental Express Flight 2816 were enroute from Houston to Minneapolis when thunderstorms forced their jet to land in Rochester. Employees of sub-contracter Mesaba Airlines employees refused to open the terminal to the plane because there were no security screeners on duty.

The passengers sat for nine hours in the cramped plane as babies cried, toilets overflowed and the staff ran out of food and water. It was a callous display of indifference. While an extreme example, it is not unusual.

A big fine is appropriate, but a better idea would be to share the bounty with the people who suffered, the passengers and crew. Divided 50 ways, that would put more than $3,000 into their pocket, which seems just compensation for the ordeal.

Perhaps a standing policy should be established to compensate travelers at that rate, $300 per hour, for idiotic mistakes like this.

Iraq and Afganistan have, in some respects, been like most wars: Soldiers sacrifice for their country and too often die.

But these wars have been unusual in that the burdens of war have been lifted from the shoulders of many and borne, over and over, by the relatively few.

Our all-volunteer force is the most effective and professional on the planet. But there is no draft, which means that the same men and women are deployed over and over to the war zones. It also means that most families have little contact with the military or the sacrifices of soldiers and their families.

Then there’s the cost of the war. A decision was made from the beginning to fund these wars “off the books,” meaning the U.S. government continues to borrow billions each year to pay for the fighting. It was recently estimated that putting one soldier on the ground in Afganistan costs $1 million per year.

Our first good idea comes from House Appropriations Committee Chairman David R. Obey (D-Wis.) who is advocating a war surtax to pay for any further expansions of the war, including President Obama’s expected troop increase for Afganistan.

Both Republicans and Democrats make a lot of noise about cutting the federal deficit. Most Americans, meanwhile, proudly display ribbons and flags proclaiming their support for the troops.

An appropriate tax would give us all the opportunity to act on our opinions, better connect us with the sacrifices of war. This is our war, and we should spare future generations the burden of paying for it.

The second good idea is, well, our own.