Not a Dime More for Afghanistan

Everywhere I walk in the 15th Congressional District in New York, I can see places where the people need, and deserve, an investment of money. Roads with gaping holes, schools where teachers will be laid off, homeless people who need housing, and people in virtually every neighborhood who need good paying jobs. That is why I have joined a new coalition to cut off all funding for offensive action in Afghanistan.

We have wasted close to three trillion dollars on two immoral wars. Let me repeat that number: three trillion dollars. I have been a consistent opponent of both wars and have worked, with thousands of activists around the country, to prevent those wars from starting and to end our tragic involvement in those wars.

Today, 46 candidates for Congress and the Senate have joined together in a new coalition: the Coalition Against War Spending. The statement that we all signed on to is very simple:

"The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost Americans over $1 trillion in direct costs, and over $3 trillion altogether. At a time when our national debt exceeds $13 trillion, we can no longer afford these wars. It's time for Congress to reject any funding except to bring all our troops safely home."

Three trillion dollars. Think about all the state budgets that could be helped with that money. The teachers, firemen, police officers whose jobs could be preserved. The millions of people we could put back to work during the greatest economic crisis we have faced in generations. Not to mention the lives that could be spared--American, Iraqi and Afghani--and the different view of our country that many people, particularly in the Muslim world, would have of us.

Here is a short video to explain my position.

 

Follow Jonathan Tasini on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jonathantasini

Comments

[Nifty options]

02:42 AM on 05/31/2010

AFGHANISTAN is in real trouble , every place is suffering bad condition help afghanaistan

thanks metrogyl

[greyhound2]

10:56 AM on 05/26/2010

Most people don't seem to be able to understand the "Guns or Butter" decision. You can have one but not both. Guns represent military expansion and war. Butter represents useful things, like food, cars, homes, education, social services etc.

The trillions wasted on wars of choice have bought nothing. When you spend money, you expect to have some value in return. In both of the current wars, huge amounts of money have been spent with nothing to show for it. Nothing. Wasted.

Does that mean that anything will change. Probably not. It is amazing how people can be convinced to participate in their own destruction.

[jabidi]

05:41 PM on 05/25/2010

"Our real enemies are not those living in a distant land whose names or policies we don't understand; The real enemy is a system that wages war when it's profitable, the CEOs who lay us off our jobs when it's profitable, the Insurance Companies who deny us Health care when it's profitable, the Banks who take away our homes when it's profitable. Our enemies are not several thousands miles away. They are right here in front of us"

- Mike Prysner (Iraq War Veteran)