CNN: Is America on the path to 'permanent war'?

[unhappycamper]

Critics says U.S. troops, such as this patrol in Afghanistan, cannot afford to keep fighting perpetual wars around the globe.


Is America on the path to 'permanent war'?
By John Blake, CNN
November 24, 2010 9:21 a.m. EST

CNN -- When the president decided to send more troops to a distant country during an unpopular war, one powerful senator had enough.

He warned that the U.S. military could not create stability in a country "where there is chaos ... democracy where there is no tradition of it, and honest government where corruption is almost a way of life."

"It's unnatural and unhealthy for a nation to be engaged in global crusades for some principle or idea while neglecting the needs of its own people," said Sen. J. William Fulbright, then chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in 1966 as the Vietnam War escalated.

Fulbright's warning is being applied by some to Afghanistan today. The U.S. is still fighting dubious wars abroad while ignoring needs at home, says Andrew J. Bacevich, who tells Fulbright's story in his new book, "Washington Rules: America's Path To Permanent War."

As the Afghanistan war enters its ninth year, Bacevich and other commentators are asking: When does it end? They say the nation's national security leaders have put the U.S. on an unsustainable path to perpetual war and that President Obama is doing little to stop them.



unhappycamper comment: CNN? Will wonders never cease.

[humblebum]

1. What "on the path" to permanent war. We are there.

When the people say enough! and no one listens - we are there.

[Sherman A1]

5. Precisely

Me thinks they are a little late to the party on this one and they do protest too much as it was CNN who helped through their poor journalism to get us to this point.

[XemaSab]

2. I share your amazement.

CNN. :P

[lunatica]

3. I recall CNN beating the war drums like cheerleaders in 2003

CNN was fucking orgasmic about it.

[ixion]

4. Always asking the obvious: That's CNN

It's been TEN YEARS now, with no end in site. I'd call that fairly permanent.

[eridani]

6. Jeez. Only for the last 50 years or so n/t

[ThomThom]

7. We have been at war since WWI

War has been going on since before history. We need to start a cycle of not waging war and see if we can spread that concept.

[Karmadillo]

8. Permanent War protects us from the dangers of Peace.

nt

[rug]

9. There's a reason the Constitution requires a declaration of war.

[KG]

10. as long as poor boys sign up to fight rich mens wars...

[CanonRay]

11. On the path my ass

I believe we arrived some time ago.