Why Don't We End Wars?
3/4/11 – President Obama - On Friday, February 25, the U.S. Defense Secretary told cadets at the Military Academy that the Army will have to restructure its budget and refocus its mission parameters, such as “prevent festering problems from growing into full-blown crises,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
“Any future defense secretary who advises the president to send a big American land army into Asia, or into the Middle East or Africa should ‘have his head examined,’ as Gen. [Douglas] MacArthur so delicately put it,” said Gates.
I think he could have added that the present administration and Congress should have their heads examined for continuing the losing folly of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Neither war is “winnable,” and far more could be accomplished by removing all troops and then offering realistic non-violent aid to these countries to set them on a real path toward some type of democracy.
Only a blind man could not see that the current government in Iraq is anywhere near to being a “democracy.” Their people are oppressed, they continue to use torture, their infrastructure is in shambles. The same, only worse, can be said for Afghanistan.
Throughout the Middle East protests continue to rage against corrupt dictatorial governments who have been openly supported by the U.S. For decades. The people have spoken, but Washington appears to be totally deaf. Selling arms is far more important than peace. Your administration has, at best, given only half-hearted support for these fledgling attempts at true democracy.
One of the biggest problems in the region is the continued occupation of Palestine by Israel and the one-sided support of Israel by the U.S. A veteran Israeli diplomat has resigned in protest of what he calls Israel’s "wrong" foreign policy. The diplomat, Ilan Baruch, spent more than 30 years in the Israeli government, most recently as ambassador to South Africa. Baruch says he stepped down in opposition to the occupation of Palestinian land. He also criticized Israeli government officials for longtime efforts to label opposition to Israeli polices as "anti-Semitism."
As Mr. Gates has said, it's time for America to have its head examined. It's time for America to make peace, not war. It's time for America to reach out a strong hand to those in need. It's time for Peace.
Thomas Daly
Retired California Newspaper Publisher
www.tomasdaly.com
President Obama Responds HERE