Letter to Editor: Cost of Military Surge in Middle East
Michael Bugg, Clinton, Ky.
We are now told that "the surge is working." We were also told that Iraq was involved in 911, that Saddam was supporting Al Qaeda, that Iraq had WMD which they would use against us without provocation, that the war would be a "cake walk," that we were going to "liberate" Iraq and "establish democracy," and that it would only cost about $50 billion.
And we were told that attacking a country that had not attacked us and had no ability to attack us it would make us safer! Bush and his supporters were wrong on every count, and they NEVER intended to leave Iraq no matter how it went as long as there is oil there! Now I am supposed to believe that the "surge" is PERMANENTLY reducing violence in all of Iraq?
After nearly 5 years, more time than it took for Democratic President FDR to defeat Germany, Italy and Japan in WW2, we are told that our soldiers need more time to "win." We have already sacrificed over 4000 soldiers killed, 30,000 wounded, $600 BILLION tax dollars so far, our credibility and trust around the world, turned millions more Islamic people against us, and have turned Iraq into the perfect training ground for people who hate us.
All the while borrowing every penny of the cost of the war, nearly doubling our national debt, hurting the value of the dollar, depleting our forces, hurting recruitment, neglecting veterans and other needs here at home, sacrificing the very rights and freedoms that past soldiers fought and DIED for, and dividing this country worse than any time since our Civil War! And on top of this, we have already tried puppet governments over there with the Shah of Iran, then with Saddam himself.
You can't lastingly gain the cooperation of the Iraqi people by continuing killing them and occupying their country even if we temporarily beat them into submission. They proved before we invaded that they could control their country for themselves because none of the death and destruction we've seen since March 19, 2003 was taking place before we invaded!
Why should our soldiers continue to be killed and maimed and 10 billion tax dollars be spent each month to prop up a government the Iraqi people are not willing to fight for themselves? When did Bush and McCain become such bleeding heart liberals?
This country cannot afford the cost of "success" in Iraq. And contrary to what the politicians and news media say, the war IS having a serious negative impact on our economy beyond the shrinking dollar and higher oil prices.
If half of the $600 billion wasted in Iraq so far had been spent in this country building and repairing our own infrastructure, expanding mass transit, working on alternative energy sources, and shoring up social security or providing universal health care, the economy would be so hot that the American people would be talking about Iraq as the number one problem!
Michael Bugg Clinton, KY 42031 270-210-3480
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