I am reminded of Spiro Agnew’s famous snippet about the “nattering nabobs of negativism.” The howls of criticism by the political elites regarding President Joe Biden’s withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan gives testimony to just one more reason why Americans no longer trust them.
Between being blind to history and ever ready to jump on anything that could be considered controversial, it isn’t just politicians who are failing us — the media seems to be cravenly following suit.
Has anyone thought through the history of this disaster? The United States invaded because the Taliban was sheltering Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. That episode was over in 2002 or at the latest when bin Laden was killed in 2011. There were countless opportunities for us to exit. But our “elites” married the concept of nation-building, completely ignoring the history of the region. Clothed in a blanket of national security, we have mindlessly spent billions to support corrupt and feckless local actors.
What national security? So we could have a base to attack Russia or Pakistan? So our presence remained a symbol for the resistance, enabling Isis or Al Qaeda to build support? There has never been substance to the arguments for staying other than silly cliches. Our leadership demonstrated little or no idea of how to move us toward a world at peace. Everything was always a “war on terrorism.”
At least this time around the American people are demonstrating their ability to filter through the opinion manipulation that tries to keep us ever vengeful, or anxious or angry. Andrew Bacevich, a noted military historian, suggested years ago that the people of the Middle East are centuries behind the West in developing a civil society and our best bet is to leave them alone to progress into the modern era at their own pace. Why is that so hard for us to understand?
Botched exit strategy or not, my bet is that Biden will be strongly supported by public sentiment despite the best efforts of the political and media elites to take him down.
David Russell
Perkinsville
Wow, what a mess!
Let’s see, since President Joe Biden took office on Jan. 20, what has transpired in our country in seven short months:
1. Revocation of the permit for Keystone XL pipeline, fossil fuel bad.
2. Striking deal with Germany for natural-gas pipeline from Russia, fossil fuel good.
3. Mask, no mask, mask, no mask, COVID confusion.
4. Schools mask mandate or not, mandate shots or not? Remote/in person? Confusion.
5. Racial division through critical race theory and Black Lives Matter.
6. Cost of gas — $2.46 in January, $3.27 in August.
7. Cost of ground beef — $2.59 in May, $3.69 in August.
8. Cost of other groceries up across the board.
9. Shortage of goods.
10. Unemployment compensation more lucrative than working, so why work?
11.Six trillion dollars in Biden’s proposed budget, rising to $8 trillion in a decade. Frivolous spending, devaluing the dollar.
12. More illegal immigration at the border, with many testing positive for the coronavirus. Are they spreading COVID?
13. Afghanistan fiasco, no plan when leaving, total chaos, leaving billions of dollars in equipment behind, and thousands who may be slaughtered by the Taliban.
14. Biden asks OPEC to produce more oil for us, our oil independence is gone.
You cannot screw up a country this badly in seven months unless you are totally incompetent.
With the anniversary of 9/11 coming in a few weeks, ask yourself, “Are we better off and safer under Biden than under Donald Trump?”
Jean Liepold
Grantham
Don’t raise price of stamps
How many readers remember when mail was delivered twice a day and a postcard cost a penny?
The United States Postal Service recently announced that the cost of a first-class stamp will soon increase from 55 cents to 58 cents.
On top of that, the price of postcards are going up from 36 cents to 40 cents, while mail delivery will be further delayed.
The USPS is an important communication tool.
If the delivery of mail gets slower, those of us who make payments via the USPS may find late fees appear on subsequent bills.
Congress, your action is needed now!
Beverly S. Weeks
White River Junction