Over the past 10 years there have been plenty of arguing about the US policy of waging war. The human race has been fighting each other over one thing or another since the beginning of history. From bashing someone over the head with a club to get a better cave or dropping nuclear weapons to quickly end a globe spanning world war known as WWII. In the WWII there were definite losers and definite winners with little or no ambiguity. However, since then the wars we have fought have not been as clear cut. The fact is that the Korean, Vietnam, Iraq (both) , and Afghanistan wars have not had a clear cut distinction between "winning" and "losing". There are definitely winners and losers but they harder to identify or quantify. It's my belief that these wars provided an opportunity to the people of the beleaguered states to make a fresh start. In the most recent Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts the US military was able to successfully remove those leaders who were running their governments. When the people of Iraq had previously tried to get rid of Saddam Hussein he pretty much killed anyone who dared to offer a different opinion on how to run the country. In Afghanistan the Taliban were maintaining their power by killing anyone who would not adhere to their extreme religious views. In both instances the ordinary citizens had a pretty meek existence. Once the military had removed these leaders it was then up to the ordinary citizens to re-start their governments under a more acceptable system. Both countries have wasted the opportunity that was presented to them. The military were offering both security and money so they could re-build their countries and instead they started fighting and arguing amongst themselves. With the troop withdrawals starting their window of opportunity is closing and what could have ended positively will end up as a failure because the citizens of the effected countries did not accept their end of the deal and so in the end they will continue to suffer. It's most likely how the got in this situation to begin with. In the final analysis if the people can not take responsibility for creating a better society then no amount of military action will be of any help.
After WWI the armistice forced on Germany all but guaranteed that there would be a WWII. Germany was saddled with all the reparations and other restrictions that no reasonable country could be expected to absorb. After WWII the US went the other direction and provided the losers (Germany and Japan) and winners (France and England) with aid and support so they could re-build their countries. The citizens of all 4 countries took advantage of this help and their countries recovered and prospered. If the Iraqis and Afghans don't start taking advantage of the help being provided they will continue to suffer. People like to say that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were not victories but they are wrong. The military was victorious in all of their actions but the military it is not the responsible for re-building a society after the shooting stops. Their part in this situation is limited to providing the opportunity for the people to re-build their societies and they have done that.
Whether you agree or disagree about the wars in the first place the fact is the wars have been waged and you can't just sit in the corner sulking and bitching. You should accept the fact that the wars were waged and redirect your energies to helping re-build the damaged societies. You can always complain about the injustice of war while helping those most effected now that it is over. There are a whole bunch of countries and international organizations that are withholding their support and practically hoping for the situation to unravel for the sole purpose of harming the US. People like this are more interested in making the US look bad then they are with helping those who need help re-building.
It is a shame that the US military has performed their duty and sacrificed their lives and the beneficiaries have wasted those efforts by not taking any responsibility after the fighting was done.
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