Bob Herbert: We Owe the Troops in Afghanistan/Iraq an Exit

[Better Believe It]

We Owe the Troops an Exit
By BOB HERBERT
August 30, 2010

We learned on Saturday that our so-called partner in this forlorn war, Hamid Karzai, fired a top prosecutor who had insisted on, gasp, fighting the corruption that runs like a crippling disease through his country.

Time magazine tells us that stressed-out, depressed and despondent soldiers are seeking help for their mental difficulties at a rate that is overwhelming the capacity of available professionals. What we are doing to these troops who have been serving tour after tour in Afghanistan and Iraq is unconscionable.

Time described the mental-health issue as “the U.S. Army’s third front,” with the reporter, Mark Thompson, writing: “While its combat troops fight two wars, its mental-health professionals are waging a battle to save soldiers’ sanity when they come back, one that will cost billions long after combat ends in Baghdad and Kabul.”

In addition to the terrible physical toll, the ultimate economic costs of these two wars, as the Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz and his colleague Linda Bilmes have pointed out, will run to more than $3 trillion.

I get a headache when I hear supporters of this endless warfare complaining about the federal budget deficits. They’re like arsonists complaining about the smell of smoke in the neighborhood.

There is no silver lining to this nearly decade-old war in Afghanistan. Poll after poll has shown that it no longer has the support of most Americans. And yet we fight on, feeding troops into the meat-grinder year after tragic year — to what end?

Wars are not problems that need managing, which suggests that they will always be with us. They are catastrophes that need to be brought to an end as quickly as possible. Wars consume lives by the thousands (in Iraq, by the scores of thousands) and sometimes, as in World War II, by the millions. The goal when fighting any war should be peace, not a permanent simmer of nonstop maiming and killing. Wars are meant to be won — if they have to be fought at all — not endlessly looked after.

Read the full article at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/31/opinion/31herbert.html?ref=columnists

[monmouth]

1. They are also owed an apology....n/t

[closeupready]

2. Bob Herbert makes too much sense.

Thus, he will be ignored.

[TheKentuckian]

3. K&R

[gratuitous]

4. "Wars are not problems that need managing"

Indeed. Would that the New York Times had had some responsible reporting such as this when these invasions were still just a gleam in the flinty eye of the Bush administration. Instead, when the Mighty Republican Wurlitzer was wheezing into its old "Let's have a war" refrain, the Times supplied backup singers such as Judith Miller and Elisabeth Bumiller to provide cover and lilting harmonies to make it all more palatable.

Now, nearly 10 years later, when the tiresome predictions of the dirty fucking hippies have been borne out once again (it's really no trick, just look at the historical record), the Times feels it's safe to let Bob Herbert tell a little truth. At least until the next time we have to rah-rah have a war, clap clap.

[Skidmore]

5. I watched Mr. Herbert on Morning Joe totally shut down Shadegg

in the midst of a bigmouthed Republic talking point insult fest. It was a pleasure to behold. Joe Madison and Bob Herbert are treasures.

[GeorgeGist]

6. More importantly ...

the President owes them an apology.

[GeorgeGist]

7. More importantly ...

the President owes them an apology.