It’s time to bring an abrupt end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

We entered both of these countries to fight wars against unwinnable objectives. In Afghanistan it was Osama bin Laden’s terrorist training camps. In Iraq it was weapons of mass destruction (which we did not find) and supporting terrorists (which was never proven).  The mission later evolved to fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan and regime change in Iraq.

In both wars the stated objective was not — repeat not — to get involved in nation building.

Yet here we are — 10 years, thousands of American lives and a trillion dollars later — trying in vain to develop a democratic government in each nation that prefers, no demands, Sharia law. In Iraq we are supporting a US-inspired puppet government while most of the people view us not a liberators, but as occupiers. In Afghanistan we are trying to build a centralized national government in a nation of tribal rule that is dominated by the Islamic Taliban. The corruption and recent increases in violence in both nations mock our best intentions.

We do not have a clear objective in the wars in either country. We are unable to define victory or even determine when our mission might be accomplished.

We must stop wasting the lives of our young men and women to fight these unwinnable wars.

The U.S. cannot afford the financial cost of these ill-advised military actions. In the face of economic ruin, Congress and the president squabble over cutting relatively minor expenses from domestic programs while ignoring the massive cost of pursuing a vain goal of saving face to the rest of the world.

It’s time to cut our losses and bring our troops home immediately. It’s time to end our support of regime change in Libya too.

Paul Schneider

Cumming