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I have concluded that the current administration along with our intelligence agencies are making some of the very same mistakes we made in Vietnam, which, if unchecked, will demoralize our military and put our country in great jeopardy if we fail to stabilize Iraq and Afghanistan.
Today our nation's credibility is being seriously questioned regarding the reported weapons of mass destruction that we were told posed an imminent threat to our national security. The president should call for an open investigation of the flawed intelligence that led us to war. Solid intelligence is absolutely necessary for our nation's credibility and to prosecute its current national security policy of the use of pre-emptive military force to limit the spread of WMD.
The administration also must realize that our nation cannot afford to have both "guns and butter" during a long-term war. The current fiscal policy is very reminiscent of the Johnson administration that while greatly expanding the war in Vietnam also pushed its very expensive "Great Society" programs here at home. As responsible Americans, we must face the fact we must pay for this war today and not place an even larger tax burden on our children and grandchildren.
Lest we forget, this administration promised the judicious use of military force abroad in its campaign to get elected, promised to rebuild the Veterans Administration and honor our nation's promises to its veterans. Yet the debate on concurrent receipt for our retired military veterans continues today and serious cutbacks have impaired VA services. Once again, broken promises from our civilian leaders who continue to put politics before military objectives and our retired veterans. Such broken promises are well known in the ranks, adversely affecting current and future enlistments.
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http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/138289_firstperson08.html