The 9/11 terrorist attack on the Trade Towers and Pentagon resulted in the death of 2,996 civilians and about $11 billion in property damage. Our nation’s response, however, (the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq) has resulted in 6,700 of our soldiers killed, 50,000 maimed and the expenditure of about $1 trillion. In addition, this attack justified the creation of yet more bureaucracy in the form of the Homeland Security Agency and the Transportation Security Administration at a cost of billions more. Clearly, our retaliation to this terrorist attack has cost our country much more than the attack itself. Despite all the ballyhoo over the killing of 9/11 mastermind, Osama bin Laden, the fact remains that our enemy is still at large and stronger than ever. It is evident that our political and military strategies are hopelessly flawed.
Despite a military budget that dwarfs all other nations, the U.S. hasn’t won a war since the conclusion of World War II. It can be argued that “Desert Storm” was a decisive victory, but if the monetary costs of the two sides are considered, we lost that one, too. Our government has grown into a top -heavy, lumbering, cumbersome and inefficient giant. Like the Soviet adventures in Afghanistan, our military cannot subdue the nimble Taliban (even after a 11-year effort) who can wage war for a tiny fraction of our cost.
I believe it’s necessary to recognize that our government is being controlled and manipulated by foreign bankers and multinational corporations for their own interests. Winning wars is not in these people’s interest: provoking and engaging in continual wars is. This is the reason our country has been involved in almost continuous war for 100 years.
We can stop this exploitation of our people by disbanding the 40,000-man army of lobbyists in our nation’s capital and ending the practice of corporate contributions to political campaigns. Oh, I know, the Supreme Court ruled that this is constitutional. This ruling and the one that deemed the mandate clause in Obamacare constitutional tells us this court is controlled by the global elites also.
It may be too late for the people to take back control of their government. We may have to endure the tyranny or anarchy that follows and then begin anew with a republic similar to the one we used to have. If this be our fate, I hope the lesson will inspire us to be more vigilant in the next generation of government “of, by and for the people.”
Bill Payne
Libby