The Effects and Consequences of Congress’ Endless Permissions for War

I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can…Its brutality, its futility, its stupidity. ~ Dwight Eisenhower. For the first time in decades, passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has been delayed due to disagreements between Democrats and Republicans. The disagreements at the center of the delay in Congress are, as usual, … Continue reading “The Effects and Consequences of Congress’ Endless Permissions for War”

Repeal the Nearly Two-Decade-Old War Authorizations

In 2001 and in 2002 Congress passed authorizations for war. While not declarations of war, these mandates, each titled an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) provided the legal framework for attacks against al-Qaeda in 2001 and in 2002 for the Iraq War. Both AUMFs are still in effect today. As Congress considers its … Continue reading “Repeal the Nearly Two-Decade-Old War Authorizations”

Time for Peace in Afghanistan and an End to the Lies

It has been more than nine years since I resigned in protest over the escalation of the Afghan War from my position as a Political Officer with the US State Department in Afghanistan. It had been my third time to war, along with several years of working in positions effecting war policy in Washington, DC … Continue reading “Time for Peace in Afghanistan and an End to the Lies”

Trump’s Turn To Lie About Afghanistan

There has never been progress by the U.S. military in Afghanistan, unless you are asking the US military contractors or the Afghan drug barons, of whom an extremely large share are our allies in the Afghan government, militias and security forces, there has only been suffering and destruction. American politicians, pundits and generals will speak … Continue reading “Trump’s Turn To Lie About Afghanistan”