(Photo: Bud Korotzer / NLN)
NEW YORK — On the evening of November 16th World Can’t Wait and Military Families Speak Out put the ‘Eyes Wide Open’ exhibit on display at Times Square in N.Y.C. There were candles, flowers, and pairs of military boots representing the almost 1,000 killed in the Afghan War. There was a small group of civilian shoes, including baby shoes, which represented the thousands of innocent people being killed in Afghanistan as they go about their affairs everyday. The sad sight of the shoes surrounded by the bright lights of festive Times Square made for a very incongruous sight.
(Photo: Bud Korotzer / NLN)
As people, both from N.Y. and tourists, stopped to look at the exhibit Debra Sweet from World Can’t Wait read the names of Americans that have been killed in Afghanistan and Elaine Brower from Military Families Speak Out spoke about the terrible effects of the war. Others handed out leaflets. People viewing the exhibit were deeply affected. Many took photos, and others took the time to explain the exhibit to their children.
(Photo: Bud Korotzer / NLN)
That same day an article by Christopher Drew in the New York Times reported that there were major budget considerations involved in Obama deciding whether or not to send additional troops to Afghanistan. It is estimated that the cost per soldier in Afghanistan is $1 million per soldier per year. Sending 40,000 additional troops will add $40 billion to $54 billion a year to the budget. It would wipe out the $26 billion expected to be saved by bringing troops home from Iraq next year. Part of the high cost of fighting in Afghanistan is the cost of fuel. It costs $400 a gallon to get fuel to the troops because of the mountainous terrain.
(Photo: Bud Korotzer / NLN)
Sending additional troops to Afghanistan could empty the Treasury and, “devour virtually any other priorities that the President or anyone in Congress had” said Rep. David R. Obey (D. WI).
And speaking to soldiers in Alaska recently, Obama said he would not risk any more lives “unless it is essential to America’s vital interests.”
Perhaps the American people would like to hear an open discussion of exactly what those vital interests are.
