Imagine you have a neigh- bor named Fred. He has an altercation with his brother Bob who lives with him. You decide to jump in and fight on Fred’s behalf because your source of coffee (Fred) is in jeopardy.
Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it? Well that’s exactly what’s going on in Iraq. We are fighting in a civil war and it’s not our country or our fight.
America is already in debt from our own frivolous spending habits.
In an effort to maintain our country’s spending, our taxes, tuition and gas prices keep rising.
The thought that FICA gets all my hard-earned money, or at least it seems that way when I get my paychecks, is disturbing to me. It cost an estimated $390,000 to pay for one soldier to be deployed for one year overseas.
As of November, there were 162,000 troops deployed. You do the math. That’s enough money for you and your 500 closest friends to retire today and still be rich. The excess of money being spent on a war that we should wash our hands of is crazy.
We’ve been promised health care for all, free speech, better education for students and, yes, even an end to the war.
The one person who seems close to making any of this happen would be Hillary Clinton. After closely looking at her three-part plan to bring the troops home, I was sold. She seems to be the only person in touch with reality.
In a speech given in Des Moines, Iowa earlier this year, Clinton said, “We have heard for years now that as the Iraqis stand up, our troops will stand down. Every year, we hear about how next year they may start coming home. Now we are hearing a new version of that very familiar song from the president.”
We will soon be members of this “grown up” society. Our voice will matter and our decisions can change the world.
We have a say in choosing the person who will be deciding what taxes will be imposed or if tuition prices go up. Let’s make sure we pick the most qualified person to run it.
Let’s bring our attention back to the most immediate and important issues, back in our homeland, and realize the time has come to draw our troops out and let Iraq fight its own battles.
Let’s allow Fred and Bob to settle their own differences. We have much bigger fish to fry right here in our own house.
Karen Burrola is a senior journalism major and a contributor writer for the Daily Forty-Niner.
