Civilian programs are much more cost effective than military ones. Yet, the U.S. government has spent as much on civilian programs in two years as it spends on military programs in Afghanistan in just one week.
With the Republicans in control of the House of Representatives, it’s even less likely that the Stop Outsourcing Security Act will be passed and signed into law. However, the need is even greater than it was last year. Last year, there were 22,000 mercenaries hired by the USA in Iraq and Afghanistan. This year, there are more than 28,000.
Woolsey on Afghanistan today: The United Nations said over the weekend that there were more civilian casualties in May than in any other single month of this war. Needless to say, killing innocent people is certainly not the way to win the hearts and minds of another country.
Carl Levin has made news with a demand that the war in Afghanistan be altered. The demand: A reduction of American soldiers in Afghanistan by just 15 percent.
“I can’t believe what a stupid amendment this is.” So spoke Rep. Sam Farr during debate regarding H.Amdt. 343, an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act introduced by Rep. Chip Cravaack which would not only defund the US Institute of Peace but abolish it altogether. The amendment simply reads: “SEC. 12xx. REPEAL OF UNITED [...]
Tthough Ron Paul now seeks an end to war in Afghanistan, he was among those who originally granted President Bush the power to start the decade of war.
Lynn Woolsey wonders why Congress isn’t cutting the war in Afghanistan instead of Medicare.
Walter Jones explicitly discussed the hypocrisy of his Republican colleagues who are willing to institute draconian cuts on basic governmental programs, but push for the expansion of wildly expensive military programs and insist upon the continuation of the failed war in Afghanistan.
A sharp division within the Democratic Party on matters of war and peace was revealed in the vote, with 85 Democrats voting for peace, and 99 Democrats voting against peace.
From John Conyers to Ron Paul, the co-sponsors of a resolution to require the end of the U.S. involvement in the Afghanistan War can be found in a list here.
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