Letters from Linden
by JACK LINDEN
We had a welcome home celebration in my town last week. Some of the town folk gathered on the public square to welcome back soldiers who had served in Iraq. There was patriotic music, the colors were presented and the people waved flags. It was a joyous celebration and one that the men and women who had served their country deserved. Even we old veterans were asked to stand and receive applause.
What I am wondering is how many Americans are still involved with the wars that are still going on. The President spoke on Tuesday evening marking the end of “combat operations” in Iraq. Hopefully, he will also point out to his listening audience that there are still American men and women being killed in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The “combat” may be over but no one has told the insurgents that it is.
I have asked many times where are the flags? Where are all the little yellow ribbons that told us to “support our troops” that were so prevalent some nine years ago when we invaded Afghanistan? Where are they now when we invaded a country 7 1/2 years ago under pretenses that have been proven wrong, if not downright deceptive?
We sent troops to Afghanistan to strike back at the enemy that had attacked us. Americans saw a reason and sent our men and women to wipe out that force. The reasons for going into Iraq have proven to be fluid, especially when a reason was proven to be untrue. Now, in Afghanistan, we have over 120,000 soldiers and an unknown number of mercenaries. Some say there are more mercenaries than there is military. We are leaving over 50,000 military personnel and an unknown number of mercenaries in Iraq.
Our war costs have exceeded one trillion dollars, all paid for with credit. The Obama Administration has finally included military spending for both Iraq and Afghanistan in the congressional budget. There are estimates that with the lingering wounds, the rehabilitation, and materiel replacement will cost us over three trillion dollars. I will take them at their word, not being one who believes much in predicting the future.
A bigger question involves us Americans. Whose wars are these anyway? Are we willing to accept the fact that we are involved in two wars, neither one of which was declared by Congress? You and I have allowed our presidents to start wars without our elected representatives’declaration. We have allowed the expenditure of monies for acts that were not authorized.
A greater moral issue is that we have sent our men and women into battle and have, in essence, forgotten about them. Remember that after we were attacked on September 11, 2001, we were told to “go shopping.” It seems that we have taken that statement too literally. We let our government send men and women to war while we went about our everyday lives. We have not claimed any part of the war. We have let the monies go without questioning what and why it was being spent. Have we done our part by just “sending the money?”
I am dubious about having mandatory drafts into the military. On the one hand, I do not like the idea that someone is determining who my enemy is. On the other, I do not like the idea of a praetorian guard. It has become apparent to me though that if we Americans are going to stop attempting to be the world’s policeman, we are going to have to have a draft.
If we have a draft, with no deferments for any reason, perhaps then Americans will accept ownership of war. Perhaps we will no longer be so enthusiastic about sending someone else’s son or daughter into harm’s way. If we are enthusiastically “supporting our troops” then they are ours. “Ours” means that we are a part of them. We are sending our own to be killed or wounded, not someone else’s. We have sent men and women to Afghanistan and Iraq. Let’s support them more than just when they come home safe and sound. There are a lot that we own that are in hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. They are ours.
