Stop the pretense of a mission. Bring them home!

In today’s Washington Post late edition we find a story outlining Secretary of State Clinton’s role in establishing clear guidelines for civilian aid to Afghanistan. That story is here.

That is a great idea, but to quote my paternal grandfather, "we are a day late and a dime short. "

We are well past the point where the American people want anything less than full disengagement from the nightmare and financial boondoggle that has been the Iraq-Afghan-Pakistan "wars". The American people just want us to pack up and go home. Believe me, we can not save what will not be saved. It is over.  Lets face it.

These are inter-tribal, religiously motivated ongoing and never ending quasi-civil wars. They are taking place inside of artificial "countries" that were constructed by Western nations after World War I that have nothing in common between tribal and religious groups other than a common national flag. They hate each other.

I am sick to death of the Wars of the Muslim Reformation and our insane self-imposed roles in each. Lets bring the troops and the money home.

We urgently need the money here and the families need the soldiers back. Enough already with the pretense that we need to be there.

We have had eight years to complete whatever crazy mission our government had in mind initially. We did not do it, whatever it was. Enough already. This bedlam must end.

This insanity will be going on just as strongly five hundred years from now and breaking our national treasure and killing or maiming our young people will not make any difference in the long run.

Mr. President, bring them home!

French marines and Foreign Legionnaires along with a few Afghan troops have opened a new offensive in eastern Afghanistan. That story is here.

Iran is protesting the moves by the federal government here in the USA over the weekend to freeze all assets of the Alavi Foundation, a front for Iranian activities that may include terror financing. The story is here.

In this story from Politics Daily that can probably only be fully understood by an American intelligence operative, the CIA has been willingly spending millions of dollars since 2001 in assisting the Pakistani Intelligence Services even when it knows that these people are openly and aggressively aiding the Taliban. I just dont get it.

Get informed, stay informed. It is your duty as an American veteran to participate in the political process of our republic. You need an informed opinion to do that.

Contact your elected officials frequently.

CWO3 Tom Barnes, USCG (Ret.)