As we proceed into the tenth year in Afghanistan, it continues to look more and more like Vietnam. President Karzi’s administration looks more like Duong Van Minh’s, the last President of South Vietnam. Corruption to the extreme, and US feet on the ground daily risking their lives for someone who is so far from our friend that he threatens to join the Taliban? I suggest a visit to the Virtual Vietnam Wall. You can tour the wall as it exists (chronologically), look up individual names, and even check out your own home town losses. I suggest looking at the losses from the town where you grew up and ask your self this – is it worth another 211,454 casualties, which included 58,209 deaths? The total U.S. casualties for WWI were only 320,518, and for Korea, 128,650. In the Second Iraq war, U.S. Casualties have reached 36,153, with 4,391 KIA. In Afghanistan, casualties are up to 6,416, with 1,023 KIA.
During and since the Cold War, we maintain this mass delusion that we can bring democracy to other countries. We ignore history, which is pretty clear that every attempt we have made to democratize a society has failed. Democracies arise when the citizens themselves say enough is enough, and revolution follows, just as it did here. We can and should provide all the help and assistance we can to fledgling democracies, just as France did for us. We should not put U.S. soldiers in harms way in an effort doomed to fail.
It is time to bring our troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Bring them home from Korea, Japan, and all of Europe. Let the world bear the price of defending freedom, not our treasury and our youth.
Just to be clear, I am a Vietnam vet, I was wounded in action and have the Purple Heart to prove it. I have nothing but love and affection for my brothers and sisters serving in the armed forces. And nothing but disgust for the politicians that keep letting this perversion continue.
The military budget for 2010 is $685.1 billion. We are facing a multi-trillion budget deficit over the next 10 years. Of that $685.1 billion, $577.6 billion is for Operations and Maintenance, Personnel, and Procurement. If we pull all of our troops out of combat and off-shore defensive positions (again, out of Korea, Europe, the Middle East, and more), is there any doubt we could make a major dent in that $577.6 billion? Even if we left the Navy in place around the world as a deterrent, a cut of 30-50% seems likely. If we were able to cut that budget by $250 billion, that equals $2.5 trillion in savings after 10 years, closer to $3 billion when you compound the savings.
Why is that not part of our national debate today? What is wrong with the leadership of this country?
What do you think?