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2nd Platoon of Outlaw Troop 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment on patrol in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan. (photo: ISAFMedia via Flickr)
I’m honored to stand with my colleague Walter Jones (R-NC) with this editorial appearing in the morning’s Washington Post. I’ll let the full piece speak for itself, but I think it’s clear we can no longer afford to keep the current course in Afghanistan.
“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.
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.”
The solution in Afghanistan: Get out
Thanks,
Jim
Congressman Jim McGovern
twitter.com/repmcgovern
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41 Comments
Thank you, Congressman Jim McGovern!
Welcome, Congressman! Recomended.
Thanks so much, Congressman. A bipartisan push to point out the colossal waste in terms of lives and resources the war has become is a very important step toward your goal of planning an exit.
Amen! It is time to stop the killing of young Americans and innocent civilians, and to leave the people of Afghanistan to plan their own future.
And I think you have a moral stance that will capture the attention, and the hearts and minds of voters.
thank you congressman mcgovern — tweeted and recommended
Now this is music to my ears, err, my eyes! May it snowball into something significant.
Thank you, Congressman McGovern.
Thank you all for the kind words!
Troops
Home
Now
Thank you, Congressman.
Hi Congressman, welcome to FDL. Thank you for the effort, along with Rep. Jones, on this. We have a great crowd here; please contribute again and often!
Bmaz—this is the new “official” account after posting here last year—the FDL community is fantastic!
Thank you, Congressman McGovern
“The solution in Afghanistan – get out.”
Yes, and significantly cut defense spending.
I want to hear the words no more funding of anything until we got a date to leave in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I want to hear the words America will only spend twice what China does on defense the rest goes to jobs.
FDR saved us from the Great Depression by creating jobs! Tell me one example where cutting spending ever worked half that well to create jobs never mind raise living standards.
The mounting costs of the war in Afghanistan and out-of-control spending at the Pentagon have never been more relevant. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost nearly $1.2 trillion since 2001. Meanwhile, U.S. military spending has more than doubled over the past decade, now accounting for nearly 60 cents of every federal discretionary dollar and totaling more than $700 billion per year.
The trade-offs are clear. The estimated costs the war in Afghanistan in 2011, totaling more than $100 billion, could provide for 1.6 million new police officers on our streets or elementary school teachers in our schools. It could provide for 19.3 million students to receive Pell Grants of $5,550 to assist in continuing their education.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-barbara-lee/a-responsible-end-to-the_b_824454.html?ir=Politics
Imagine if we had used all that money to create green jobs and cars in America. The Dems have been acting Spineless to long either start acting like you have a pair or go home!
Here we are talking about staying in Afghanistan, and 72 percent of the people are saying bring them home” according to a Gallop poll.
http://www.enctoday.com/news/jones-87820-jdn-wounded-afghanistan.html
You got 72% public support on this issue thanks to the Left and the blogs the Media is not covering this if you have not noticed. But still we influenced public opinion because we use the truth.
If you can’t stop both wars with 72% public support then resign. We are forming a third party because you Dems have done nothing for years.
I on the other hand and everyone here have been showing up every day arguing for the wars end you show me you can make half the effort we all have.
Show me you got half the Stones.
Yes please! Troops home now.
Our troops suffer not enough bullet proof vests, not enough armored vehicles, defective helmets, KBR rapes an American worker Congress does Nothing! American troops die because KBR is to cheap to hire an American Union electrician to instal showers for our troops Congress does nothing.
We give Pakistan Billions which they steal and do not use to help their people live better but they won’t let us go after Ossama? They won’t let us and Congress, Bush and now Obama want to keep giving them money!
If your not angry your more than not paying attention your heart is dead.
The fact you all kept troops fighting for so long suggests our political and media inbred elite is brain dead.
Answer my concerns tell me what you plan to do about it. We have all the cards end the wars, jobs the majority of Americans support us.
The GOP has the 30%ers. Obama has who if we give America a choice a Lefty choice who will do what you lacked the courage to do so far. Obama runs even with a generic GOP candidate the generic candidate who beats any GOPer now even rumored to think about running.
Given our stand on the issues is more popular than the GOP’s and even Obama’s stand’s the implication is clear Obama will lose to a Lefty candidate.
Given how we shifted American opinion on the war, jobs, immigrants (immigration rights marches are bigger than Glen Beck rallies but the media never mentions that) despite the media we can win.
So if you like your job do it!
Thank you Reps McGovern/Jones.
Out now.
Bless ya both.
(n I thought there WERE no antiwar electeds left anymore)
This gives me hope.
I thank you, Rep. McGovern, but your phrase about ‘not abandoning the Afghan people’ makes me nervous; that has been the excuse for years of continuing the war, and part of the ‘non-abandonment’ meant training security troops.
Now you know that that ambition is a total chimera: over and over any honest appraisal says that that program’s been a flop, no matter if NATO troops or Blackwater were doing the training. The ‘get a gun and a uniform, minimal training, and split’ thinking wins, thus the numbers of ANSF trained is always a lie.
The pretense that Karzai actually rules Afghanistan, and that any forces would be loyal to a central government is bogus. And beware leaving a bunch of NGOs to aid rebuilding or aiding the economy: the reports six months ago issued by Oxfam proved how corrupt and wasteful the organizations operating there are.
Anyway, go for it. And if General Petraeus tells you it will take years to leave, and then permanent bases staffed with GIs and ‘private security troops’ are needed, tell him ‘No!’ You need to end the occupations there are in Iraq, and be very careful about the same in Pakistan, IMO.
My Lord, another Ron Paul. Maybe this tea party thing isn`t as bad as you knee jerking liberals think. I don`t hear or see Wiener, Nadler,the twin sister harridans of the Golden State,or the rest of the liberal power elite having the guts to cross Obama the War Monger. If we can`t make these Huns, honies in ten years, we can`t do it in ten thousand.
Zenostoa
Congress has the power to defund these military hostilities and has all along. Saying one thing, and doing something diff, is called being hypocrites. Ya, Pelosi and Reid hate the slaughters too.
Hi Congressman McGovern. I had an opportunity to speak with you at great length on a very rainy morning way back in May, 2005 at the John Stone Inn in Ashland.
Here’s a link to my write-up of our conversation.
One interesting remark you made was “I think, regarding the recent supplemental bill to continue funding the Iraq war, many Democrats felt they had to go along to get along… but if we continue to vote Republican-lite, we’re going to continue to lose.” Mr. Obama seems unaware of this sage advice.
I’m sorry to say I am no longer a Democrat. I just don’t see how change can possibly evolve from the two-party system. The Democrats “big tent” coupled with their politically-comprised centrism has neutered the party. It fails to represent those of us who are genuinely on “the Left”.
The Democrats are the great safety net party. I commend them for that, but, the safety net is going to collapse. If everyone but the top one percent is wounded, there will never be enough bandages to go around. The solution is not to argue for more bandages; the solution is to replace capitalism with a more humanitarian economic system that puts people before profits and puts “political parity” above the right to acquire unlimited wealth. The problems we face are systemic and cannot be repaired on an issue-by-issue basis.
I’m happy to say that, in spite of my views on the Democratic Party, I have, and will, continue to vote for you. I deeply respect your integrity and your positions on America’s immoral, illegal and unaffordable wars. How about a Senate run against Scott Brown? He’s vulnerable and Massachusetts needs someone with your commitment to peace to oppose him. George McGovern did it; you can to.
Please help to remove our troops from Occupation. It is shameful and the world is watching. This is no way to promote Democracy or have a sound foundation for Foreign policy.
We must stop being the Bully of the World.
Yes, please stop the Occupations.
Time to get our own house in order.
I thank you, Rep. McGovern, but your phrase about ‘not abandoning the Afghan people’ makes me nervous;
WendyDavis is right we have killed and tortured how many civilians in Afghanistan and lets not forget Iraq. We have killed and tortured more than the Taliban and Saddam did if we leave we stop the killings.
If we want to avoid bloodshed after we leave we just ask our puppet governments to leave when we leave.
If we stay then we keep killing innocents. If after 10 years we can’t create a stable government in these countries we Never are going to create a stable government in those countries.
I don’t want my Social Security cut just because you want don’t want to abandon the Afghan and Iraqi people but all you accomplish is killing more innocent people.
Cut your own government Healthcare first!
Americas a disgrace
the killing of innocent woman children and men has got to stop
im leaving this gun totting,military crazy country for a sane retirement
NOT IN MY NAME
ding!
What no replies to the tough questions? No wonder people want a third party.
We got a few kind words of support then no action from Obama on everything lets hear your plans for action are you willing to stop funding for everything to end the wars. Do you have other plans to end the wars if so lets hear them.
Too many dems have fooled us before tell us your plans then act on them or we will give you a primary challenge.
Ditto.
Representative McGovern -
Your diary shared space yesterday on FDL’s reader-recommended list with this report about a powerful new interview with a victim of the Guantanamo Non-POW Prison System that’s been maintained by our last two Presidents, about which the diary’s author (Jeff Kaye) summarizes:
Did you perhaps read that diary, the linked interview and story, or the linked excerpt of the new book about Guantanamo by David Hicks? Or have you read any of the mounds of public evidence that has by now been collected – everywhere but in Congress and the Department of Justice – about what has been done, in the amorphous name of “national security,” to systematically abuse prisoners at our Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba? See, for example, The Guantánamo Testimonials Project of the University of California at Davis’s Center for the Study of Human Rights in the Americas (CSHRA). Or, if you prefer to watch recorded accounts – also in English – that echo the newly-transcribed account of David Hicks, there’s my recent diary “Just Imagine”…Unchallenged, Government Tells Supreme Court While Torturing: “The United States Is Gonna Honor Its Treaty Obligations.”
If you haven’t read such accounts, why not?
And if you have read them, as a powerful, privileged Member of Congress charged with acting in our stead – who, I’m sure, understands and intends to honor our government’s “treaty obligations” under the Constitution and the Convention Against Torture – what have you done, and what do you plan to do, to remedy these wrongs and to see that justice is done?
Seconded!
Hear! Hear!
Powwow,
Support your position just fine but really think Representative McGovern deserves a more respectful tone. He has done tons and if you have to ask, then maybe go look for yourself. By the way, what have you done?
Representative McGovern,
Thank you for this and all your other fine efforts. Met you briefly at Emerald Downs last summer and was proud to shake your hand and thank you for your service to our country.
I will always remember and admire your courage in going to Iraq to avert the US invasion of that country. Look at all the damage that has been done there. I support your efforts to end these illegal occupations.
Conrad C. Elledge
Thank you Congressman McGovern and Congressman Jones for your stand. I read the entire editorial. This war is leading our country to bankruptcy. Let’s end it.
It appears, conradcelledge, that by “respectful tone” you mean that I failed to pay suitably-sycophantic homage to Representative McGovern’s power, obtained by virtue of his holding high public office. Because I fail to see where in that comment I “disrespected” Representative McGovern in any way, by asking him to publicly detail what he has done, or now plans to do, to fulfill his obligations (and express his concerns) as a Member of Congress made aware of credible allegations of torture committed by U.S. government actors and agents. That you read more into my comment than is actually there should tell you something about why I asked the questions I did.
That same high public office is the reason why much more is required of Representative McGovern, and every other federal legislator, than of any one of us not privileged to hold such power in our representative democracy. Quoting Justice Robert Jackson’s Report to the President in June, 1945: “It is, in any event, inconsistent with the position we take toward our own officials, who are frequently brought to court at the suit of citizens who allege their rights to have been invaded. We do not accept the paradox that legal responsibility should be the least where power is the greatest.”
Because of the dramatic imbalance of power between Representative McGovern and me, just about anything I and even thousands of others like me can do, and have done (see: the many honorable whistleblowers and what has befallen them), will still fail to have the impact on the implicated government actors that just one pointed letter, with follow-up, to the Department of Defense from a Congressman like Representative McGovern can and would have. [See, as one commendable recent example of such a letter, the effort by Dennis Kucinich to address Bradley Manning's detention conditions, by requesting a personal visit to Manning.]
I see, however, that my small effort to hold accountable, for the use or misuse of the power he wields in our name, one of the 500-odd Americans entrusted with the power to begin to remedy these evident American war crimes, rubs some admirers of those in high office the wrong way – because, apparently, one or more worthy deeds obviates the need for any further action by said officeholder to meaningfully address the ongoing, egregious abuses of power by our Executive Branch of government. In fact, that responsible public figure seemingly needs more protection from criticism than the average citizen, in the minds of some. If that’s your point of view when it comes to holding powerful federal actors “accountable,” then you must be able to comfortably relate to the mindset of those in our federal judiciary who are busy erecting barricades to shield the most powerful presidential agents from the common rabble who are trying to receive justice for their government-inflicted injuries. Those suspect commoners don’t adopt the proper “respectful tone” when they challenge Their Benevolent Betters, according to that authoritarian world view.
If Representative Jim McGovern has indeed “done tons,” as you assert, with regard to this grave matter of government-sponsored torture, the results of his actions are invisible to me. Thus the questions I asked – which he is free to answer as he will, to set the record straight.
By the way, what have you done?
This is what is colloquially referred to as a blunder.
Advanced search
About 11,100 results (0.24 seconds)
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=firedoglake+powwow+afghan+war&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=
Google FireDogLake Powwow Afghan war 11,100 results some of the results are not his or hers comments but many are Google any of the regulars at the Lake and you should start to get a picture of just how many of us have devoted tens of thousands of hours writing on the subject, discussing it, reading etc.
Chances are we know more than the Congressman or even Obama with all his CIA reports why we have had years to study this.
Amen.
Thank you. In an uncommon Canadian FDL reader, but I hope the USA’s departure will expedite Canada’s too. It’ll apparently have to start with you, since our government shows no serious interest in acting on its own.