I'm Just So Very Tired

You know sometimes I get really tired of politicians and ring knockers* talking about the people in our military like they are pieces on a Risk board.
As you all know, I’m the Dad of three active duty soldiers who all have multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. As such, I have done all I could to keep most of my opinions about the different fronts in the war between friends, but now the people who are supposed to be smart about what needs to be done are just being stupid.
I have one boy in Iraq now and another who just learned that he has to get set for Afghanistan much sooner than the rotation schedule calls for, so I am tired of watching the leadership continue to drop the ball on this.
It is bad enough that with our military actively engaged in combat operations, the only thing that seems important is health care debates. Nothing else matters; it is healthcare and only healthcare we must have healthcare! All the while, we have General McChrystal doing his best Westmorland impression saying, “I need more troops in Afghanistan or we are going to lose.”
Well to hell with it already. Man I am tired of seeing our military (and yes, selfishly) my kids being in the middle of this. Exactly how much longer are we going to screw around with this before we can call it good.
Can anybody give me one good reason to still be engaged over there? Just one? Hussein is dead now and we blew it on bin Laden, they have Democratic governments (sort of) installed, regular elections and a uniformed military for self-defense. After all, their defense is their responsibility. We’re good! It’s their turn to run it.
If there were one more achievable objective to meet, I would not be complaining butI have kept my opinions tucked away for almost seven years now and I’m done.
All we are doing is staying engaged for the sake of being engaged. If you think that is a good idea, just ask the veterans of the Soviet Union about their little Afghanistan occupation and how things improve over time. You know, we used to call Russia’s occupation of Afghanistan the Soviet’s Vietnam. Does that make it Vietnam II for us?
It is time to put an end to the operations. All that can be accomplished has been accomplished. Our military has performed exceptionally, they have endured more than should have been asked and they continue to do so. Also, there is no shortage of young people who are trying to get into the military. There are actually waiting lists to leave for boot camp.
We have had over half the decade to take charge of Afghanistan and we have not done it. The time for games of political chess with live game pieces needs to end. If the President wants a legacy let it be ending our missions and returning the kids home. If they need to kill more Al Qaeda leadership, use the remote planes with tactical nukes attached to them-it makes a lovely sound and then we can all go home.
*A ring knocker is a military officer who is also a graduate of one of the country’s service academies, such as Annapolis.