[kellynla]

This will be our last adventure for some time as a “great power.”

Could you tell what the winning numbers are for the CA lottery. LOL

Seriously though, we still have the finest military on the planet and on any given day we could make a parking lot out of any country.

Much of our power has rested on the willingness of others to provide us goods and services in return for paper and IOU’s.

ALL of our power rests on the shoulders of God fearing American patriots who rise and have risen to the occasion and fight for freedom for over 200 years, thank you. And as far as America being in debt, if you check your history, America has been fighting wars with the help of others since the American revolutionary war. Just ask France. LOL

"The $3T that some estimate this war cost us, could have been far better spent."

Freedom is not free and although I would have preferred that we had gone all the way to Baghdad and removed Saddam Hussein when we were in Iraq during Desert Storm because I concur with Gen. Patton " I hate paying for the same RE twice." Saddam Hussein needed to be removed. And America and the world is a better place for it.

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[AndyJackson]

First, I am not discounting the spirit componenent of military effectiveness one iota, but our military superiority has rested, since the Civil War, on our prowess as an industrialized nation, our ability to arm our fighters with more firepower than anyone else. Second, no one, not me at least, is questioning the continued superiority of our armed forces.

The problem is that maintaining an effective fighting force half way around the world has stretched what we can afford to bear to the breaking point, and at a time that we needed to be working down our debts, public and private, we have instead piled onto them. I think that much of what we are seeing with the housing crunch, subprimes, the collapse of the dollar and the rise of cold, etc. is directly tied to our adventure in Iraq. Financial and political capital needed to transform our own economy has been squandered on an overseas adventure.

Look I am retired Navy and as pro-military as the next guy. But this was one march too long. I have nothing but admiration for the soldiers and airmen who have fought this war, and the great job they have been doing. But that does not mean it was worth it.