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"I'm fine. I'm out. I'm back with my family. I'm very happy."
- Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei, released on bail yesterday after 81 days in detention. (Source: The Guardian)
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The War Must Not Go On!
Last evening, President Obama made his long-awaited announcement on beginning withdrawal of the 103,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The president announced that 10,000 of these troops will be withdrawn by the end of this year, starting in July, and 23,000 more by the end of summer 2012. That will leave approximately 70,000 troops in Afghanistan, roughly double the number of troops (34,000) when he took office in 2008. The president said these remaining troops will be withdrawn “at a steady pace” going into 2014.
But that’s not good enough. President Obama had an opportunity to pivot his policy on the war in Afghanistan -- to focus on the still real threats of terrorism, rather than on failed wars of occupation with massive numbers of troops on the ground. Public opinion polls now consistently show that 50 to 60 percent of the American people want the troops to come home. Two-hundred-four members of the House, from both parties, voted in late May for the McGovern-Jones amendment -- which calls for an accelerated withdrawal and a responsible exit from Afghanistan. Two members of Congress, Jim McGovern and Walter Jones, one Democrat and one Republican, were the authors of that measure and have been the real leaders of political and moral conscience on this war. Twenty-eight bipartisan senators also called for an accelerated withdrawal in a recent letter to the president. A wide array of political leaders, from both parties -- including senators Carl Levin, Max Baucus, and Richard Lugar, and Republican presidential candidates Jon Huntsman, Mitt Romney, and Ron Paul -- are expressing reservations about the war strategy. Obama could have built on these changes in public opinion and announced a dramatic change in war policy for Afghanistan. But last night, he did not.
We constantly hear the message, “Support the troops.” It’s on bumper stickers, at ball games, and on banners in airports. As a Christian who opposed the two wars our troops have been fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, I can say that I do support the troops. They are primarily young, from lower-income and working families, who in the current economy have few other options. The military promised them the opportunity for a job, training, and perhaps the chance go to college on their return. But that promise to young people with few other options came at a high price. So far, 1,552 Americans have died in the war in Afghanistan; 11,200 have been wounded. In one study of the 300,000 returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who sought help from Veterans Affairs health centers, nearly 37 percent of those treated for the first time were suffering from mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or alcohol problems. These problems too often result in suicide. During the first half of 2009, more American soldiers committed suicide than were killed in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. In June 2010, an average of one soldier a day committed suicide. Furthermore, 11 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are unemployed.
Of course, there are very few children of members of Congress, or of finance and business executives, in the military. Those who run the country are not sending their children to fight the wars they continue to prolong. Frankly, war is good business for those who run the military-industrial complex that former President Eisenhower warned us about. Generals always recommend more war because it’s their business. It gets them promotions and advances their careers. And they often distort the facts to stay in business -- claiming progress in order to justify continued war -- when there really is no significant progress at all. Meanwhile, more young people get killed or damaged for the rest of their lives, and the cost for so many innocents is even higher. That can simply no longer be justified in Afghanistan.
The president acknowledged and honored the sacrifice of the troops, and said we need to shift from nation-building in Afghanistan to nation-building at home. But the meager reduction of troops he announced last night simply doesn’t support either goal. I heard on Morning Joe this morning that John McCain has more staff on Capitol Hill than the CIA reports al Qaeda now has in Afghanistan. And the threat of Bin Laden was not ended by the war in Afghanistan, but by focused intelligence and counter-terrorism in Pakistan. Yet, after the president’s announcement last night, the United States will still have nearly 100,000 troops in Afghanistan for the rest of this year, and will spend more than $100 billion in the coming year. It seems the war in Afghanistan will go on and on and on.
To truly support the troops who are fighting and dying in Afghanistan, we must commit our resources where they are most needed. We must make the courageous decision to end the war in Afghanistan much faster than the president called for last night. Incremental and gradual drawdowns of troops over many years is not the correct response to a failed war. We needed a pivot to a new policy last night -- but we didn’t get it.
The president’s decision to finish his first term with twice as many U.S. troops in Afghanistan as when he took office is a political and moral mistake. This week, nearly 40 religious leaders delivered a letter to the White House saying “we are united in the belief that it is time to bring the U.S. war in Afghanistan to an end.” We must now build on that to mobilize resistance to the war across the religious community. It’s time for the faith community to help lead the movement that will bring this unnecessary and unjust war to an end. The president’s message last night was “the war goes on.” Our message on Afghanistan must be: War No More.
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Jim Wallis is the author of Rediscovering Values: A Guide for Economic and Moral Recovery, and CEO of Sojourners. He blogs at www.godspolitics.com. Follow Jim on Twitter @JimWallis.
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Ashley Judd: Where Her Heart Is
 Humanitarian, award-winning actress, and best-selling author Ashley Judd reflects on her faith and "true calling" -- social justice activism -- in this month's Sojourners.
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ON THE GOD'S POLITICS BLOG |
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Afghanistan Weekly Digest: Obama to Bring 33,000 Troops Home
by Hannah Lythe
"President Obama charted a middle course Wednesday for ending the U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan, outlining a departure plan that will remove troops faster than his commanders had requested but more slowly than many of his political allies would like."
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Aid, Not War in Afghanistan: An Open Letter From Religious Leaders to President Obama
by Jim Wallis
Mr. President, as your target date to begin U.S. troop withdrawals from Afghanistan approaches, we are compelled by the prophetic vision of just peace to speak.
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The Infuriating, Scary, and Ironic Inside Job
by LaVonne Neff
Inside Job is politically charged, but not partisan. In the slice of history it covers, there are no heroic presidents or pure parties.
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News Flash Paul Ryan: This is Mass Unemployment, Not a Siesta
by Elizabeth Palmberg
In the past two years, the social safety net has helped more Americans than any time in a generation. So why are so many people trying to tear it to shreds?
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This week I would like to highlight the other side of the issue by praising Bishop T.D. Jakes and the film Jumping The Broom.
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This is Not Enough
by Jim Wallis
As I've written before, it is past time for a clear, quick, and responsible exit from Afghanistan -- not one slowly drawn out over years.
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10 Ways Pastors Muck It Up
by Theresa Cho
In my experience I have observed and witnessed ways that pastors have not helped a congregation and even have hurt a congregation.
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Ashley Judd: 'My Christian Faith Demands I Work for Social Justice'
by Jason Howard
Judd told Sojourners of chronicling her global experiences on the page, "to celebrate the grassroots programs I work with, as well as to process my own feelings and to continue to engage with my Creator."
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Are Millennials Conflicted About Morality?
by Claire Lorentzen
The Public Religion Research Institute recently released the results of their newest survey, "Committed to Availability, Conflicted About Morality," which shined new light on the complexity of opinions on abortion between different religious groups and age demographics.
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As I got out of the cab, I saw a sign outside our house that said "Happy Fathers Day," with bright colors and hearts. And the frown of a weary traveler quickly turned into a big smile.
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The Ugliest Word in the English Language: Fracking
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I think I know the ugliest word in the English language -- a neologism, actually, coined to describe the technique for pumping liquid at high pressure into rock to open up cracks so that natural gas will flow: fracking.
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Thank God That I am a Man and Not a Woman
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It's likely that some of you will take offense at the title of this post. But if you read through the post, it'll certainly make more sense in the larger context.
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What Would Jonathan Edwards Say About Twitter?
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As I play with my young son, walk to the grocery store, or wait for a subway, I feel the presence of emails I haven't answered, Facebook invites I haven't responded to, tweets I haven't sent.
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Friday Links Round Up: Japan. Pastors. Surfing.
by Jeannie Choi
Japan. Pastors. Surfing. Here's a little round up of links from around the Web you may have missed this month.
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What Do People of Faith Have To Say About Torture?
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In 1998, former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan announced June 26 as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
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