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They are being honest about the disingenuity of the system. <br>
<br>
Political expediency is not a matter of following the <br>
malleable will of the manipulated and opinion shaped masses.<br>
<br>
Political expediency is following the iron will of their bosses. <br>
The ones who are in control of "democracy". <br>
The oligarchs who run the show and call the shots, and <br>
put the "duly elected" in their place.<br>
<br>
<img alt="" src="cid:part1.09010606.01090105@pigs.ag" height="245"
width="353"><br>
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On 2/20/2011 6:44 AM, C. G. Estabrook wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:4D6047C9.30709@illinois.edu" type="cite">[It's
disingenuous - and at base quite shocking - for them to write, "...we
were elected to do the right thing, not what is politically expedient.
The discussion of Afghanistan shouldn't be about politics, which we
acknowledge are difficult, but what is right for our country..." The
latest polls show 3 out of four Americans agree that the withdrawal
form Afghanistan should be speeded up. Obama's job is to hoodwink the
public and make them believe that that's what he's doing, when he 's
doing the opposite. --CGE] <br>
<br>
"The solution in Afghanistan: Get out" <br>
By James P. McGovern and Walter B. Jones <br>
Friday, February 18, 2011; 12:00 AM <br>
<br>
No one, it seems, wants to talk about the war in Afghanistan. This week
the House debated a budget bill that is touted as reflecting new fiscal
restraint, yet borrows tens of billions more for the war. In an
hour-long State of the Union address last month, President Obama
devoted less than one minute to the conflict. Given the investment and
sacrifices our country has made for nearly 10 years, the phones in our
offices should be ringing off the hook with calls from those who are
tired of being told that the United States doesn't have enough money to
extend unemployment benefits or invest in new jobs. <br>
<br>
But by and large, Americans are silent. The war wasn't even an issue in
the November elections, which dominated the political discussion for
much of last year. Perhaps it is because there is no draft and only a
small percentage of our population is at risk. Or maybe it's because no
one feels that they are paying for the war, which is being charged to
the American taxpayers' credit card. <br>
<br>
Whatever the reasons, there is no excuse for our collective
indifference. At 112 months, this is the longest war in our history.
More than 1,400 American service members have lost their lives in
Afghanistan; over 8,800 have been wounded in action. Tens of thousands
have suffered other disabilities or psychological harm. The Pentagon
reported in November that suicide rates are soaring among veterans; the
backlog at the Department of Veterans Affairs had reached more than
700,000 disability cases, according to NPR, including post-traumatic
stress disorder. <br>
<br>
Meanwhile in Afghanistan, our so-called ally, President Hamid Karzai,
is corrupt. Transparency International recently ranked Afghanistan as
the world's third-most corrupt country, behind only Somalia and Burma
The Afghan military and police are not reliable partners, and al-Qaeda
is someplace else. <br>
ad_icon <br>
<br>
Vice President Biden said in Afghanistan last month that "we are not
leaving if you don't want us to leave." At the NATO summit in Lisbon,
the president said that we're in Afghanistan for at least four more
years. <br>
<br>
But for what? Why do we need to sacrifice more American lives? Why must
we continue to align ourselves with a government that commits fraud in
elections? Instead, why aren't we using all our resources to go after
the terrorists that murdered so many of our civilians on Sept. 11,
2001? <br>
<br>
The new Republican majority in the House came to power in large part by
promising to control spending and reduce the deficit. This war has
already cost us more than $450 billion; combined with the war in Iraq,
it is estimated to account for 23 percent of our deficits since 2003.
Where is the outcry from the Tea Partyers and the deficit hawks? Fiscal
conservatives should be howling that this war is being financed with
borrowed money. Those who support the war should be willing to pay for
it. <br>
<br>
And where is the liberal outrage? Those of us who are tired of being
told that we can't afford green jobs, unemployment or health care
should be screaming over our Treasury being used as an ATM when it
comes to supporting the Karzai government. <br>
<br>
To be fair, there are a handful of prominent critics on the left,
center and right. But most Americans are silent about the enormous
sacrifice our country has made in blood and treasure. They should be
calling, writing or otherwise speaking out. <br>
<br>
What are we giving up to maintain the status quo? Columbia University
professor Joseph Stiglitz told the House Veterans Affairs Committee in
September that the costs of Iraq and Afghanistan, including interest
payments on the money borrowed for these wars and care for our wounded
soldiers and veterans, is likely to total $4 trillion to $6 trillion. <br>
<br>
Simply put, we believe the human and financial costs of the war are
unacceptable and unsustainable. It is bankrupting us. The United States
should devise an exit plan to extricate ourselves from Afghanistan, not
a plan to stay there four more years and "then we'll see." This doesn't
mean that we abandon the Afghan people - rather, we should abandon this
war strategy. It is a failure that has not brought stability to
Afghanistan and has not enhanced our own security. As the retired
career Army officer Andrew J. Bacevich has written, to die for a
mystique is the wrong policy. <br>
<br>
It is easier for politicians to "go along" rather than make waves. But
we were elected to do the right thing, not what is politically
expedient. The discussion of Afghanistan shouldn't be about politics,
which we acknowledge are difficult, but what is right for our country.
And the right thing is to end this war. <br>
<br>
James P. McGovern, a Democrat, represents Massachusetts's 3rd
Congressional District in the U.S. House. Walter B. Jones, a
Republican, represents North Carolina's 3rd Congressional District. <br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/17/AR2011021705822.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/17/AR2011021705822.html</a>
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