We have been at war in Iraq and Afghanistan for eight years with an army of 10 divisions. You can’t expect 10 divisions to fight two wars and police the world, so we use the Guards. They pull too many tours. You can only pull so many before your luck runs out. We have lost 5,000 and thousands have been wounded.
Roadside bombs took their toll. If we had infantry on those roads, we wouldn’t have lost so many. There will be some troops in Iraq and Afghanistan for years. Gen. George Casey said to be ready for 10 combat units to be at war for the next 10 years.
Our troops are spread thin. What if North Korea would invade the south? There was no peace treaty signed, so we’re still at war with them and our president isn’t doing anything to make us stronger, just the opposite.
When you ask for change, you have to be careful what kind of change you ask for.
The Germans wanted change when Hitler came to power. The change they got was six to seven million killed and their country in ruins.
How can we pay for 10 more years of war? Can our military stand the pressure? How many more will die? Is it worth it — to put yourself in harm’s way for a people who cannot be your friend?
Quote from the Quran, “Be not a friend to the Jew or Christians, for they are friends to one another, if you are one of them, you are not one of us.” Obama should have quoted that in Cairo.
Remember both parties got us into this mess. They all had the same intelligence reports. We are in real trouble in this country and have no real leaders. And we’re still 5,000 and counting.
Clovis E. Steele
Joplin
Opinion
Voices: 5,000 and counting
- Opinion
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Our View: Victims should come first
Millions of dollars in donations have poured in from around the world since the May 22, 2011, tornado. Those donations represent money from lemonade stands, charity auctions, corporate gifts and celebrity checks, just to name a few. In fact, one year later donations continue to come to Joplin.
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Beth Meeker, guest columnist: Same-sex marriage battle a quest for equal rights
I would like to take a moment to reply to guest columnist Anson Burlingame’s, “The Marriage Debate” (Globe, May 13).
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Sunday Forum: 2012 graduation speakers key on tornado, mall school and president’s visit
Editor’s note: In addition to speeches by President Barack Obama and Gov. Jay Nixon, Joplin High School’s top students addressed graduates, faculty, parents and other guests packed into the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on the Missouri Southern State University campus. Following are the text of those speeches.
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Geoff Caldwell, guest columnist: Pack mentality takes truth as a casualty
President Obama’s Joplin graduation speech Monday showed that while there’s the political “right,” there’s also a very active “rabid” political right.
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Your View: ‘Study’ can mean anything
A few evenings ago, I watched a television program on the science of marriage.
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Our View: Support for museum
How can you tell the story of Joplin without the accounts of its mining history?
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Our View: Finding middle ground
The G-8 summit held last week in Camp David ended as expected.
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Anson Burlingame, guest columnist: Class of 2012 upholds character, hope
My oldest granddaughter was part of the class of 2012 from Joplin High School, and I attended the ceremony on Monday night.
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Scott Charton, guest columnist: 'Deadline in Disaster' film a story about storytellers
Local newspapers are at their best when they help their communities confront, understand, endure and overcome shared challenges.
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Our View: Make voting easiser
This year’s ballot will not include a proposed constitutional amendment that photo identification be required at the polls in Missouri. Good.
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Our View: Victims should come first
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