Letter War carries multiple, heavy costs
Friday, May 4, 2012
Art Krenzel made some excellent points in his April 29 letter “War decisions made too easily.”
Many of our Congress people who seem to be so quick to engage in wars are the same ones who profess such concern about government spending. War is the most expensive activity the country can engage in.
Consider, too, the cost of the aftermath. Someone recently said that we’ll be paying for combat-related health issues from Iraq and Afghanistan veterans for another decade. We will really be paying for that for much more than another decade. I am a Vietnam vet and volunteer at a veteran’s support organization and most of the vets who come to us are still from the Vietnam era, still with support needs caused by their war experiences from over 40 years ago.
Of course, that’s only money. Beyond that, consider the pain and suffering of the veterans and their families.
Committing to war should be done with the greatest consideration to the real direct threat to our country as Krenzel said. Once the commitment to war is made, there is no “oops” and no do-overs. It’s done. Perhaps people in Congress wouldn’t be so eager to commit to war if they or their children had to go and cough up more of their own money to fund it.
Keith Scott
VANCOUVER
