I have a great idea on how to "double down" like SOS Clinton wants

[Taverner]

We double down by getting all of our troops out of the Mideast AND getting them out of the rest of the world

We sell our bases, worldwide, to have condos built on them

Then - and here's the double down part - we don't lay off the troops, but instead have them rebuild the US infrastructure

Roads, bridges, buildings, etc

And they can help in the Southeast with its rebuilding...

As well as finally rebuild those levees in New Orleans...

[rustydog]

1. I don't see why we shouldn't have an immediate enormous

draw down in Afghanistan and Iran if not a complete withdrawl. The man responsible for 9-11 has been killed. In the past ten years, dozens of his number 2 and 3 underlings have been killed. No one is saying we stand down in vigilance, we need to bring our troops home. The"war" on terror is an intelligence operation, not military intervention for decades.

[Taverner]

4. Al Queda is all but dead

The Taliban, not so much. But they aren't our threat. They are not planning on attacking America

[FSogol]

2. Have the troops rebuild the infrastructure? Screw that, they are millions of small companies

(like mine) that would love a contract to rebuild the infrastructure.

[Taverner]

3. Sounds good - why not have both working on it?

Contractors take care of the technical aspects, wiring, etc

And let the grunts take care of, well, the grunt work!

[PVnRT]

6. They'd contract it out anyway

You hire people that know what they're doing to rebuild a levee, not just send out troops with shovels and bulldozers.

[Taverner]

7. Contractors plan it, troops bulldoze what needs bulldozin'

[PVnRT]

5. The Army Corps of Engineers actually does supervise a lot of infrastructure

It's just not the infrastructure we think of (buildings, bridges and roads). One could argue they supervise even more important things live levees, dams and sea walls.