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I noticed that no one mentioned that the anniversary of the start of the war in Afghanistan has come and gone. October 7th, 2001 began America's grand endeavor to root out terrorism and to smoke them out of their holes.
Nine whole years, making this officially the longest war in US history.
Lets see, the original price tag was slated at 200 billion dollars, which was at the time as seen as a pretty hefty price tag, good thing we kept it within budget huh. Now estimates are now ranging from 1.1 trillion to 1.4 trillion, but as House Veterans Affairs Chairman, Bob Filner added, these cost do not reflect the cost in things like short and long term care for the 30,000 maimed and wounded soldiers who have returned and those have yet to add to this number.
200 billion to 2+ trillion, sounds about a typical cost overrun.
Just over 1,100 US soldiers have lost their lives and approximately 3,400+ have been wounded so far.
I cannot help but find it a little sad that with all the grand standing, amid all the poisonous partisanship, and all the fluffy tit for tat, that no one bothered to note this anniversary. May it be our last.
If you care enough to take a few moments to offer your representative a note on how you feel, by all means take the few clicks of the keyboard and do so. As much as so many complain about government, how many actually complain TO government, the people that actually matter?
Says a lot that we willing put a current war down the memory hole, should make starting another one all that much easier. People just deny its existence, its cost in both human lives and cold hard cash.
God we need mandatory military service in this country, as it is the only way the bulk of society will give a damn.
Oh its not so hard to find mention of this, our entering in to the first 10 years of war in Afghanistan, but unlike the trapped miners, a loose monkey in a Malaysian airport, bears falling on a trampoline, Tea Parties, the next Droid app release, it is relegated to page 18 at the bottom.
The longest war in US history, and I get the feeling that both left and right in this country would just assume imagine it doesn't really exist.
This is the harsh side of having a professional military in which .5% of our population are the ones that bear 100% of its weight, it allows the other 99.5% of Americans who don't have family members serving to just hide it behind a yellow bumper sticker.
Says a lot that we willing put a current war down the memory hole, should make starting another one all that much easier. People just deny its existence, its cost in both human lives and cold hard cash.
God we need mandatory military service in this country, as it is the only way the bulk of society will give a damn.
The US does not own it's citizens. If there was no draft previously we may have avoided the loss of all those lives in Korea and Vietnam.
We should not go to war without a declaration of war from Congress.
The US does not own it's citizens. If there was no draft previously we may have avoided the loss of all those lives in Korea and Vietnam.
We should not go to war without a declaration of war from Congress.
No it doesn't, not directly at least.
If the leadership decides to engage in empire building and in order to pay for this endeavor, passes along higher taxes which sucks the life out of the people, then, while not owned, they are not that far removed from the serfs of old.
I'm all in favor of Congress actually doing it's Constitutional duty concerning declarations of war and controlling the purse strings which fund them, instead of resting all the weight solely on the shoulders of the executive.
However, as long as the true cost of war isn't a shared experience, be it through mandatory service, war bonds, or increased taxation specific to the event, then our imperial adventures are swept under a rug and as you will notice, all those on the right complaining about social programs have no problem denying the existence of this expenditure.
Says a lot that we willing put a current war down the memory hole, should make starting another one all that much easier. People just deny its existence, its cost in both human lives and cold hard cash.
God we need mandatory military service in this country, as it is the only way the bulk of society will give a damn.
I agree completely, we need a mandatory military service. Too many fail to care enough about someone else doing the heavy lifting. Too many failed to see the harm it has caused out nation with the servicemen/women who came home injured or dead. Too many care more about how much they’ll earn with their stocks and investments in the war industry. The cost of the war has been ignored by too many too long.
Afghanistan was the war forgotten about when Bush & Cheney put their eyes onto the oil fields of Iraq. The war was going to be paid for by protecting the oil from getting into the wrong hands. And don’t forget the WMDs that had to be found before the world was destroyed. Too many lies, too long, and everyone forgot. There was too much money to be made and it wasn’t most of the Americans who would make it. The cost of war is sad because of so many reasons, so many lies and untruths that were told.
The lose monkey is interesting story - people with watch it once. Afghan war has been around - people will yawn and change the channel. Media is in the business of selling ads and not broadcasting worthy stories, so they went with the monkey.
..and then we wonder why we collectively are an ignorant people. We (and media) are among the many to blame.
I noticed that no one mentioned that the anniversary of the start of the war in Afghanistan has come and gone. October 7th, 2001 began America's grand endeavor to root out terrorism and to smoke them out of their holes.
Nine whole years, making this officially the longest war in US history.
Lets see, the original price tag was slated at 200 billion dollars, which was at the time as seen as a pretty hefty price tag, good thing we kept it within budget huh. Now estimates are now ranging from 1.1 trillion to 1.4 trillion, but as House Veterans Affairs Chairman, Bob Filner added, these cost do not reflect the cost in things like short and long term care for the 30,000 maimed and wounded soldiers who have returned and those have yet to add to this number.
200 billion to 2+ trillion, sounds about a typical cost overrun.
Just over 1,100 US soldiers have lost their lives and approximately 3,400+ have been wounded so far.
I cannot help but find it a little sad that with all the grand standing, amid all the poisonous partisanship, and all the fluffy tit for tat, that no one bothered to note this anniversary. May it be our last.
If you care enough to take a few moments to offer your representative a note on how you feel, by all means take the few clicks of the keyboard and do so. As much as so many complain about government, how many actually complain TO government, the people that actually matter?
I think the Faces of the Fallen link should be made into a sticky on this forum. We would all do well to remember that our abstract discussions are not about abstract soldiers, people, or deaths. Government policies have a real impact on real people.
I think the Faces of the Fallen link should be made into a sticky on this forum. We would all do well to remember that our abstract discussions are not about abstract soldiers, people, or deaths. Government policies have a real impact on real people.
I think that is a great idea, but I suspect some would probably object. I know the impact it made on me this month when my family returned to welcome home signs at the airport, as it is one of the greatest of all feelings. In contrast to those who end up with the worst possible of feelings, and all the more reason I try to stay focused on this issue.
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