Earlier this month, we passed the decade marker for the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, but most Americans would have never known. It is long past time that we focus on Afghanistan, and avoid walking backwards into an open-ended military commitment that could last another ten years or more.
When I cast my lone vote against authorizing a blank check for war, I was concerned that it had opened the door to war without end. Ten years and $460 billion later, it is clear there is no military solution. Not only does the U.S. policy of endless war erode global peace and security, it directly undermines the fight against poverty at home.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. observed, "the bombs in Vietnam explode at home; they destroy the hopes and possibilities of a decent America." Once again, poverty in America is growing at precisely the same time that our resources are being spent in foreign ventures with little justification. There are countless ways our tax dollars funding the war in Afghanistan could be better spent.
How about health care for 50 million low-income children? Hiring 1.5 million elementary school teachers? Awarding scholarships to send 16 million students from working families to universities? How about funding job training for returning veterans and retraining for displaced workers? We need smart kids and smart investments, not smart bombs and unnecessary wars. United States national security has always been tied to our strong economy and innovation; our upside-down funding priorities are robbing us of a secure future.
With fewer than 100 Al Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan, we must invest our resources in a smarter security strategy; we are not facing down nation-states, but rather bleeding our economy dry with a massive and expensive military occupation against scattered terrorists who are not confined by borders. After stationing hundreds of thousands of boots on the ground in Afghanistan for almost a decade, it was ultimately intelligence and international cooperation that led to Osama bin Laden's end in Pakistan.
Ambassador Karl Eikenberry noted the obvious in his cables from Afghanistan: a small investment in development can often accomplish more than the work of thousands of soldiers, at far less cost in lives and money. With smart investment, we can increase opportunity, prosperity and security throughout Afghanistan. There are alternative ways to stabilize Afghanistan and undercut terrorist threats that are far less expensive than military presence.
The most successful development projects in Afghanistan do not depend on the military and are Afghan-led with local buy-in and community empowerment. The celebrated National Solidarity Program has provided block grants to Community Development Councils (CDC), on which democratically elected locals identify, manage, and implement development projects. For a fraction of the cost of occupying a rural area, we can use smart investment vehicles like CDCs to address the impoverished conditions that are still widespread throughout Afghanistan ten years after the U.S. invasion.
It is even more urgent that we stop wasting money on a counterproductive military presence in Afghanistan when so many people are suffering at home. According to the Commission on Wartime Contracting, military contractors wasted as much as $60 billion in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Over the same period, another 2.6 million Americans slipped below the poverty line, marking the highest poverty rate in 52 years. Economists are calling this period of economic decline America's "lost decade."
Congress faces enormous decisions on the fiscal future of the United States. Social Security, Medicare, and other critical domestic programs could be on the chopping block as the "supercommittee" develops a plan to reduce annual budget deficits over the next ten years. The Pentagon presents plenty of opportunities to achieve savings. We must end the wars, audit Defense Department spending, and realign Pentagon priorities to address emerging and unconventional threats to our national security.
In looking forward ten years, we must look back at this "lost decade" of war and tragic lost opportunities. We must choose building bridges over bombers, deploying teachers at home over troops abroad, training doctors over drone pilots, and investing in our future rather than costly and useless military confrontation.
If we fail to act, we risk depriving an entire generation of the opportunity to contribute, to invent, and to thrive -- and our economy will continue to suffer. That is not the American promise. We must resolve to restore the American Dream that has been dashed for so many hard-working families. Ten years is ten years too long for this wasteful war; it is time to bring our troops and our tax dollars home.
Follow Rep. Barbara Lee on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RepBarbaraLee
Robert Creamer: A Great Day: Obama Ends the War in Iraq
"Let’s get in on the ground. There is a lot of money to be made in the future in Libya. Lot of oil to be produced. Let’s get on the ground and help the Libyan people establish a democracy and a functioning economy based on free market principles.".
Yet he - and every other Republican - opposes investment in infrastructure in our own country
The parading of Gadahfi's death in our news media was disgusting and barbaric. All you're hearing is the West side of this story. I would be interested to hear what citizens of Libya has to say about NATO, the rebels and the murder of Qadafhi. No American narrative, but an independent journalist.. The UN should investigate NATO because the UN resolution authorizing humanitarian help did not include regime change or the muder of the leader of a soverign country. There is a precedence being established here by the West that says they can kill anyone they like, no trial, just on their word. No need to wonder Iran wants to build nukes. I wonder who is next. All leaders of soverign countries that is not under US control beware, especially if you are the leader of an oil rich country. As Senator Lindsey Graham said "There's lot's of money to be made in Libya. Rebuilding and exporting oil." Google his statement and listen for yourself. It's no coincidence Europe has major trouble with their economy, France and Britian suddenly wanting to help Libyans and Libya being an oil rich country with lots and lots of gold.”
Yes, you would state you are not one of those but have you ever voted for America over the party line? It is time to find real Americans, Average Americans who are willing to go to Washington and work for their neighbors and the country.
AverageAmericans2012
VIVA THE REVOLUTION
Over a million teachers? Yikes
Amen to that.
i have been on HP for about 4 years...........
we write the same words , cry together, ...mourn together.... and fight together..........
and always end up in the quandry of : .....WHY.?
(altho we understand why..........) which is very complex .
when we mourn for a fallen brother or sister.?
We've been calling for an end to the USA's global warmaking since Viet Nam. We called for it when Reagan went galavanting into Central America. We didn't want Operation Desert Storm, but Congress didn't listen to us then, either.
Then we had the GOP fighting tooth 'n nail with Clinton for his 8-yr presidency, insisting that he declare war or invade Afghanistan & some other Middle Eastern countries.
Our military have never been so conscripted to do the dirty-work of greedy global corporations (the oil industry comes to mind) as with GWB's invasion of Iraq (now into its 7th yr) & this 10-yr war in Afghanistan.
We are keenly aware of the cost to our country & that's why citizens are occupying Wall Street & other financial centers around our country now. We are the 99% that YOU are not paying attention to & you wonder aloud what's going on?
Yes, WE ARE PAYING ATTENTION. It seems Congress is not because they've been bought & paid for by the very people who are destroying America for pure profit. They don't care about any of those things you mentioned in the article as long as at the end of the day, they get theirs.
Occupation of sovereign nations to protect oil supplies, doesn't seem like common defense, in fact it is offensive. So your point isn't really relevant. Our problems aren't black and white, which your quote suggests, they would require a proper balance of swords and plows. Or you could just do you plowing strapped with a gun
Education we disdain.
Easy to see where that will take this nation.