The American military’s costly intervention in Iraq has failed. And its costly intervention in Afghanistan – which is ongoing – is failing.
Yet despite this U.S. President Barack Obama – who famously referred to the Afghan conflict “the right war” – has committed to maintaining American troops in Afghanistan well into the next decade.
So much for pulling out in 2014, right?
According to a draft security agreement negotiated between the Afghan and American governments (and obtained by NBC News), American soldiers would “remain in force (in Afghanistan) until the end of 2024 and beyond.”
Unbelievable …
Nothing like government to welcome unmitigated failure with an open-ended commitment to advancing the same policies that created the unmitigated failure in the first place.
In response to this insanity, a small group of U.S. Senators – led by Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky and Democrat Jeff Merkley of Oregon – are drafting legislation which would require Obama to come to the U.S. Congress if he wishes to keep U.S. troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014.
Wait … what?
American presidents should be forced to come to Congress whenever they want to wage war …
According to a recent Harvard University study, the cost to taxpayers of these two totally misguided conflicts is expected to fall within the $4-6 trillion range. And let’s not forget the nearly 7,000 American soldiers who have died … for what?
Protecting freedom?
Please …
Meanwhile back on the home front the Pentagon has become so bureaucratically bloated it can’t even determine how much of its $560 billion annual budget is wasted.
It is long past time someone put a stop to this madness. And while Paul and Merkley’s proposal wouldn’t necessarily do that, it does take an important first step in returning America’s war powers where they constitutionally belong – in the hands of Congress.
13 comments
We really need to change the law to require Congressional approval before military resources are used in such a fashion.
And to think that people were gnashing teeth over the war powers resolution in 73′.
lol….in the words of Emperor Palpatine, “Unlimited Power!”
You fuckin’ people… you have no idea how to defend a nation. .
Global Whack-a-Terrorist. Kill them in one country, they pop up in another country. CIA trains, funds, and arms them to make them scarier. More military spending and action is approved. This is the country’s foreign policy. This makes us safe?
Take caution in your tone, Civie. I’m a fair guy, but this fucking heat is making me absolutely crazy.
Son, we live in a world that has drones, and those drones have to be flown by men in cubicles to blow up terrorists. Who’s gonna do it? You? You? I have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. You weep for terrorists, and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That those deaths, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties, you want me to fly that drone, you need me to fly that drone. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way, Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon, and stand a post.
Very presumptuous of you to assume I’m a civilian. I also receive a salary courtesy of the American taxpayer, albeit a fraction of yours. I respect your service and your motivation for doing it. However, serving your country does not mean you have to support the foreign policy of our elected (and unelected) leaders. Nor does it entitle you to ignore the facts of our foreign policy, which is a policy of perpetual war- or at least until the dollar collapses.
I would appreciate it if you would address me as “Colonel” or “Sir.” I believe I’ve earned it.
Walk softly and carry an armored tank division, I always say. And that really is where I get the jist of my foreign policy. We follow orders. We follow orders or people die. It’s that simple. Are we clear?
and btw I am not a real person, you can watch my epic performance alongside Tom Cruise in a “Few Good Men”. Its a great movie although I get arrested in the end for ordering the death of PFC. Santiago.
I don’t see it passing, unfortunately. Willing to bet Graham is itching to filibuster it. He’s gotta remind the MIC how much they need him.
Doesn’t the Congress already have the power, under that tattered old document called the Constitution, to cut off the money? If they were serious, that’s what they would do.
Seems there is a difference between housing troops and waging war. All the “article” establishes is that troops will remain. We house troops in foreign countries all over the world. Italy actually has more than 100 bases in its country alone. Other places with US military bases…. it’s what we do.
Afghanistan
Camp Eggers
Camp Dwyer
Camp Leatherneck
Camp Rhino
FOB Delhi
FOB Delaram
FOB Fiddler’s Green
FOB Geronimo
PB Jaker
Australia
Robertson Barracks
Germany (GR)
Camp Panzer Kaserne, Böblingen
Japan (JP)
Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Okinawa. Note: these camps are dispersed throughout Okinawa, but still under the administration of the MCB complex.
Camp Courtney
Camp Fuji, Shizuoka Prefecture
Camp Foster
Camp Gonsalves (Jungle Warfare Training Center)
Camp Hansen
Camp Kinser
Camp Lester
Camp McTureous
Camp Schwab
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa
Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture
Bahrain
Naval Support Activity Bahrain
British Indian Ocean Territory
Diego Garcia
Brazil
São Paulo, Naval Support Detachment
Cuba
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base
Djibouti
Camp Lemonnier
Greece
Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Souda Bay, Crete
Guam
Naval Base Guam
Israel
The Port of Haifa maintains facilities for the United States Sixth Fleet.
Italy
Naval Air Station Sigonella
Naval Support Activity Gaeta
Naval Support Activity Naples
NCTS Naples
Japan
Naval Air Facility Atsugi
Naval Forces Japan, Okinawa
United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka
United States Fleet Activities Sasebo
Kuwait
Kuwait Naval Base
South Korea
Commander Fleet Activities Chinhae
Spain
Rota Naval Station
United Arab Emirates
Fujairah Naval Base
Port of Jebel Ali
Afghanistan (Middle East)
Bagram Airfield
Herat International Airport
Jalalabad Airport
Kabul International Airport
Kandahar International Airport
Mazar-i-Sharif Airport
Shindand Air Base
Bahrain
Bahrain International Airport
Sheikh Isa Air Base
Bulgaria
Main article: Bulgarian-American Joint Military Facilities
Bezmer Air Base
Graf Ignatievo Air Base
Germany
Ansbach
NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Geilenkirchen
Ramstein Air Base
Spangdahlem Air Base
Greenland
Thule Air Base
Guam
Andersen Air Force Base
Italy
Aviano Air Base
Camp Darby (Pisa-Livorno)
Sigonella Naval Air Station
Japan
Kadena Air Base, Okinawa Prefecture
Misawa Air Base, Misawa, Aomori
Yokota Air Base, Tokyo
Kuwait
Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base
Ali Al Salem Air Base
Kyrgyzstan
Manas Air Base
Netherlands
Joint Force Command Brunssum
Oman
Masirah Air Base
Thumrait Air Base
Pakistan
PAF Base Nur Khan
PAF Base Shahbaz
PAF Base Samungli
Portugal
Lajes Field, Azores
Qatar
Al Udeid Air Base
Saudi Arabia
Eskan Village
Singapore
Paya Lebar Air Base
South Korea
Kunsan Air Base
Osan Air Base
Spain
Morón Air Base, Andalucia
Turkey
Incirlik Air Base
United Arab Emirates
Al Dhafra Air Base
United Kingdom
RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire
RAF Croughton, Northamptonshire
RAF Lakenheath, Brandon, Suffolk [2]
RAF Menwith Hill, Yorkshire Dales
RAF Mildenhall, Mildenhall [3]
Seems like a good way to spend money.
Obama NEVER served in the military so what on-hand experience does he have as Commander In Chief? He still claims to be black so he seems to stay confused, doesn’t he?
What is there to defend a bunch of religious zealots who have been at war for 3000 years. It will end up like Korea except the nation will still be in the stone age.