ACTION ALERT
The Obama administration is taking shape. With the appointment of his national security team it is evident that those of us who question or oppose the Iraq war and want to see a reduction in U.S. military spending need to remind the incoming president and Congress that this is a priority for the vast majority of Americans. Especially during this economic collapse it is important for the U.S. to bring the troops home and reduce military spending.
I personally am not so much for or against Defense Cuts as I am for Smart Defense planning and budgetting. It is a given that Defense Cuts are necessary because even Conservative bipartisan advisors strong on defense admit that the current defense spending trend is not sustainable during an economic depression.
That said, if we must cut defense spending, I passionately advocate shifting the bulk of what’s left to our ground forces not only to pay for logistically bringing our troops home but also rebuilding and reconstituting a "defensive" capability. Meaning the ability of our ground forces to defend the Continental United States. If foreign wars are a necessity, they should be carried out by meaningful international military alliances or not at all. Moreso, any future use of American military force should have the unquestionable support of the American people including being willing to accept conscription. If a War on Terror as such does not warrant THE DRAFT, it is not worth fighting and dying in.
Robert L. Hanafin
Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired
Staff Writer, VT
(Opinions are those of the writer and not necessarily those of VT staff or organization).
There are two steps that can taken to influence Obama and Congress (1) write the Obama administration and (2) write your elected representatives in Congress. On the take action page of VotersForPeace.US we provide you the tools to do that quickly and easily.
The issues to emphasize to Obama and Congress are:
* The 2008 election provided a mandate to end the war and focus on the economy at home. It is important for the Obama administration to bring home all U.S. troops, not just combat troops, and all private security contractors which number even more than U.S. troops. It is time for jobs at home not war jobs abroad.
* The economic collapse makes the cost of the war even more important than it was. The U.S. cannot continue to hemorrhage more than $10 billion per month on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. These are costly and failed war quagmires that the U.S. must extricate itself from as quickly as possible.
* Beyond the current wars, the U.S. needs to reduce military spending. The United States currently spends as much as the whole world combined on the military. The chairman of the Financial Services Committee, Barney Frank is calling for a 25% cut in military spending and an internal board appointed by Donald Rumsfeld is telling the president-elect that military spending cannot be sustained. The military budget, including the two wars being fought, is now approaching $1 trillion per year.
Despite the mandate, and overwhelming reasons why Bush lost the White House for John McCain, hard tasks lay ahead to convince the president-elect to really end the Iraq war, not escalate the war in Afghanistan and reduce military spending.
This is all achievable but only if those who worked together to elect Obama work together to force him to make Peace and follow the American voters mandate to get out of Iraq. Former Reagan advisor Pat Buchannan a dedicated Republican and somewhat Bush supporter was the first to admit that the 2008 election gave Obama a mandate to get out of Iraq.
Thank you for taking action and supporting our efforts.
Sincerely,
Kevin B. Zeese
Executive Director
Voters for PEACE
P.S. Are you angry about the bailout funneling tax dollars to the wealthiest Americans while people lose their jobs, foreclosures and bankruptcies increase and the economy goes into free fall? If so, visit www.BreakTheBailout.com and join our efforts to create an economy that serves all Americans not just the wealthiest.
Take the VotersForPeace Pledge! "I will only vote for or support federal candidates who make a speedy end to the war in Iraq, and preventing any future war of aggression, a public position in his or her campaign."
VotersForPeace is a nonpartisan organization that does not support or oppose candidates for office.
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Readers are more than welcome to use the articles I’ve posted on Veterans Today, I’ve had to take a break from VT as Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor and staff writer due to personal medical reasons in our military family that take away too much time needed to properly express future stories or respond to readers in a timely manner.
My association with VT since its founding in 2004 has been a very rewarding experience for me.
Retired from both the Air Force and Civil Service. Went in the regular Army at 17 during Vietnam (1968), stayed in the Army Reserve to complete my eight year commitment in 1976. Served in Air Defense Artillery, and a Mechanized Infantry Division (4MID) at Fort Carson, Co. Used the GI Bill to go to college, worked full time at the VA, and non-scholarship Air Force 2-Year ROTC program for prior service military. Commissioned in the Air Force in 1977. Served as a Military Intelligence Officer from 1977 to 1994. Upon retirement I entered retail drugstore management training with Safeway Drugs Stores in California. Retail Sales Management was not my cup of tea, so I applied my former U.S. Civil Service status with the VA to get my foot in the door at the Justice Department, and later Department of the Navy retiring with disability from the Civil Service in 2000.
I’ve been with Veterans Today since the site originated. I’m now on the Editorial Board. I was also on the Editorial Board of Our Troops News Ladder another progressive leaning Veterans and Military Family news clearing house.
I remain married for over 45 years. I am both a Vietnam Era and Gulf War Veteran. I served on Okinawa and Fort Carson, Colorado during Vietnam and in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General at Norton AFB, CA during Desert Storm. I retired from the Air Force in 1994 having worked on the Air Staff and Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.
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