It has now been eight years since the War in Iraq began. Despite a proclaimed withdraw of combat troops ordered by Pres. Barak Obama in August of last year nearly 200,000 troops remain as well as an equal number of private military contractors. A report by the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan said that tens of billions of dollars for private contractors has been misspent even while the Department of Defense (DoD) seeks and additional $118 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
At the same time, the federal government is now debating whether or not to grant $533 billion to the Department of Defense for 2011 expenses related to supporting military personnel and “build[ing] capacity to avoid possible future conflicts.” This includes supporting hundreds of bases in the U.S. and overseas, which factors into a policy of “power projection.” According to the Congressional Research Service, power projection means the “U.S. [maintains] forward military bases as deterrent and strategic holdings for promoting U.S. policy in Asia and Europe.” This power projection is one of the reasons why the U.S. military budget is higher than any other nation.
Since the Spanish-American War in 1898, the U.S. has claimed to be fighting for liberation of other peoples or to protect this country from foreign aggression while using the military to exploit places overseas for natural resources and force open markets for U.S. goods. The recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been proven over and over again to be another example of this tradition. Resistance to this program has existed for as long as the program itself, and resistance to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have shown that large numbers of the American people see through this ruse.
Now, the U.S. faces a domestic fiscal crisis that threatens to cripple the government and society at large. In its stead, politicians propose cutting social service programs and government departments that look after the environment and the most vulnerable, including children and youth who suffer when education is targeted with a proposed $5 billion cut. These cuts are unnecessary if we stop funneling so much money to the military.
Meanwhile, people all over the world are revolting against oppressive governments that widen the gap between the haves and the have nots and stomp on civil and human rights. The recent events in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya and other places have shown how ordinary people can come together to demand new leadership that focuses on the basic needs of the population.
The U.S. military will not be so instrumental in setting an example for how democracy can flourish and meet the people’s demands as much as a U.S. government that supports a national infrastructure that responds directly to people’s needs. Therefore, increased military funding is not the answer.
It is time for us to re-evaluate the spending priorities of this nation and re-invest in our people and programs that truly serve to promote democracy, like social services, economic development and education. Our tax dollars should not used to maintain military complexes in other countries but instead should be focused on providing the foundation for working and poor people and our children in this country. Offering people an affordable, quality education, providing a safety net for the poor and re-directing the national economy toward civilian functions instead of military posturing is more in line with getting the U.S. into a sustainable economic and political situation. Such a projection builds people power, and it is people power that will make the difference in the years to come.
There will be a protest against the wars on March 19, at UN Plaza (7th & Market Sts.), in San Francisco