But, They Did Not Want To Do It

     At this point in recent history America has been engaging in nation building in the Middle East since 2001.  We went into Afghanistan following the events of 9/11 seeking the people responsible for that terrible tragedy.   But, we knew ahead of time setting up a new government would be part of the plan.  After all it was in part the Taliban government which became official enemies of the US.  We went into Iraq in 2003 because... well the reason still has not been made clear other than some “oops wrong turn” explanation.  However, we do know nation building has been a definite part of that mission.

    Helping Libyan protesters turned rebels keep from being slaughtered by joining the UN Security Council effort to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya was good US policy for many more reasons than just to keep the slaughter from occurring.  Not the least of which are the facts we are helping create the opportunities for people in the region and to change our image in the region forever, not that those alone are reason to go in. 

    But the people tasked with leading our military were hesitant to enforce the no-fly zone.  There was no imminent threat to our national security true.  I mean we took out a third of Gadhafi’s air capability in a very short time with no problem.  But that’s not why we went in.  It was a humanitarian mission and we are there to help.

    People serving and even more retired military higher-ups came out beating the idea down over and over and the main argument was that it was not in our national interest.  They talked about how we would have no choice but to become more engaged and eventually have to send in US ground troops, but we don’t have to do anything. 

         There is no mandate on our actions.  We can enforce the no-fly zone and, regarding military action, leave it there.  Things can operate quite well without us.  The French did not need us in the Ivory Coast recently for example.  Considering the plight of so many others in the various neighboring nations presently in upheaval we have become incredibly invested in terms of our Libyan commitment.

    Yet, it was the other reason most cited for not supporting going in that was most disconcerting and simultaneously telling.  The idea that going in was not in our national interests was actually quite a revelation considering what quarters such talk was coming from.  By “not in our national interests” becoming an official line of the military’s, all the talk of backing up freedom, liberty and democracy even through force if necessary was exposed as about as much b.s. as all those calling foul for years had been saying.  Patriotism?  Sure as long as it was in line with our “interests” - meaning of course money.    

    There isn’t anything wrong with money in and of itself of course, but at some point after World War II apparently patriotism began to mean nothing more than dollar bills.  Americans aren’t stupid and we all knew it played some part as of course we’ve been reminded over the years of the vital interests of American based corporations operating in those areas.  These were companies we relied on for jobs and that contributed vast amounts to our tax base, or so we were always led to believe.  The idea was many American companies overseas were the rock holding our way of life up, and so at times our military was employed to protect them.  That’s the way things had been painted for so long.  

   But as it turns out they don’t provide all that much American employment in those areas and in some they aren’t even hiring the locals, just the cheapest skilled labor they can get regardless of where that labor comes from.  Sometimes that labor actually pays to get there and depending on the sub contractor may never get paid. (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0510100110oct10,0,347...)

    As far as taxes are concerned forget it.  We are talking offshore accounts, corporate welfare and in some cases no taxes paid at all. (http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2011/03/ten_giant_us_companies_avoidin.html)  So the reasons for us being there are in actuality unclear.  What is clear is struggling middle-income to lower-income American taxpayers are basically paying for security for those companies – security which could be provided for by the very private military contractors our government needs to be shaking loose anyways.  In the end the generals both retired and otherwise let it out of the bag.  They were almost saying, “stop meddling in our enterprise, we don’t have time for freedom.”

    They acquiesced the charade is over.  The problem is they forgot we are footing the bills.  We support the troops always.  How could we not, when they come mostly from us?  They are predominantly middle to lower-income Americans.  They however are not the decision makers it’s in the higher-ups policy gets set.  We are footing the bills for all the security for oil fields that benefit us as much as all the other nations that purchase and rely on petroleum products.  We are paying for the security of the very factories that have sucked up those jobs we once had.

     Oh yes that’s right.  The factories that are the reason we have been losing our standard of living and the income gap has been widening are also located in regions heavily fortified by our troop presence.  Yup we’re paying to protect them.  The recent comments made by the military higher-ups, both active and retired, confirm the idea we need to scale back our overseas bases drastically.  It is now bloated, redundant, and unnecessary and the only pork barrel behemoth Sen. John McCain hasn’t said anything about.

    Election time’s coming up though and just because they won’t say anything that doesn’t mean we have to stay quiet.  Remember when the time came to back up all that patriot talk we kept hearing about in the lead up to the invasion of Iraq with regards to a no-fly zone in Libya it was a little different.  They did not want to do it.  It just did not jive with what they thought of when they thought of our interests.  It’s a blessing they were so honest.

   To read about my inspiration for this article go to www.lawsuitagainstuconn.com.