The Forever War

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Last Updated on October 7, 2017.

 
Sixteen years ago this weekend, the United States went to war in Afghanistan. After spending trillions of dollars and losing countless lives, more than ten thousand American troops are still fighting in Afghanistan, continuing decades of armed conflict that has no military solution.
This past week, Secretary of Defense James Mattis testified before Congress. He offered no plan to end America’s longest war. Instead he proposed 3,000 more troops and the removal of any timelines for bringing our men and women in uniform home. As Senator Elizabeth Warren noted, “this sounds like the Trump administration is willing to fight this war forever.
Tell Defense Secretary Mattis that it is time for a clear, actionable, public plan for peace in Afghanistan.
We cannot allow Afghanistan to become a forever war. The costs in both blood and tax dollars are already far too high. Every year we stay in Afghanistan we waste money that could be spent on improving our communities. Every year more American soldiers and Afghan civilians die. Every year we tarnish our reputation in the world. It is time to stop.
There is simply no military solution in Afghanistan. No matter how long we try, we will never bomb our way to peace.
But here’s the thing, the war in Afghanistan has fallen off the front pages. The “serious” people who populate Washington’s foreign policy establishment are relying on the public’s silence to continue this war forever. That’s why we need to speak up, now, and make our voices heard.
Speak up and say enough is enough! End the war in Afghanistan now.
Next year children who were born after 9/11 will start serving in Afghanistan. We must not let this be a war that lasts two generations. It is time to bring our troops home. Please sign today and demand a plan to do just that.

October 7, 2017