We have a big military to keep sea lanes, land lanes, and air lanes open for commerce from our exported and outsourced jobs. Build more in America, create a renewable energy infrastructure, increase the efficiency of our grid, pay a living wage and we can reduce our “necessary” wars with most other countries. Most are not a threat to most Americans. Let other countries invest in their defense.
Most of the profits from making bombs and war equipment and rebuilding other countries go to those who invest in the military industrial complex (mostly the top 1%). So few get all the spoils from both profits from war and profits from commerce. I wish we could get Americans to sit back and not just listen to the rhetoric but to the provable facts and data.
No matter when we pull out of Afghanistan it will revert back to its “prehistoric” being. We cannot help those unwilling to come into the present nor is that our responsibility especially when Americans are suffering at the helm of a vicious plutocracy that still has vast numbers indoctrinated to vote against their own interest. Will the 2012 election be the one in which the middle class stands up for all America instead of being coerced into supporting and voting for those who continue to pilfer them slyly?
Overheard on CNN.com: Time to bring troops home? Afghan massacre makes some wonder
Editor’s note: This post is part of the Overheard on CNN.com series, a regular feature that examines interesting comments and thought-provoking conversations posted by the community.
In the wake of controversy in Afghanistan and ongoing debate about U.S. military activity, lots of readers are talking about whether it’s time to bring the troops home. Many answered the question we posed: Is it time for America to leave Afghanistan?
Suspect in Afghan massacre has memory loss, lawyer says
Many of our readers said they were opposed to the war and wanted to bring the troops home.
Joanne Ciccone of Charlottesville, Virginia, says there are many Afghan tribal units fighting with each other, and it’s hard for Americans to try to police that.
Matt Sky of New York says we’ve been in Afghanistan for years, and they have to figure it out for themselves. He says we can’t try to interfere in every country’s business.
Egberto Willies of Kingwood, Texas, says he believes we need to decrease involvement. He says there are benefits in a business sense, but that is not enough. He adds that there is no easy solution: "If we pull out Afghanistan will revert back to its ‘prehistoric’ being. But we cannot help those unwilling to come into the present nor is that our responsibility especially when Americans are suffering."