To the editor:
Many years ago President Eisenhower warned the American public as he was leaving office, “Beware of the military industrial complex.” We were led into the Iraq War with false information about weapons of mass destruction that did not exist and were never found in Iraq. Iraq had nothing to do with 9-11 that killed 3,000 people in New York.
The Iraq War cost billions of dollars and was put on a credit card that was never paid for. Over 5,000 of our troops were killed and over 50,000 came home with missing limbs, head trauma, blindness, mental and emotional problems they will struggle with for the rest of their lives.
Meanwhile, contractors like KBR, Bechtel and Halliburton, of which Dick Cheney used to be CEO, made a fortune from the Iraq War and Halliburton stashed all its profits in the Cayman Islands to avoid taxes.
We have in Washington so-called war hawks who want to increase the military spending when the military stated that they did not need it. At the present time, we have over 800 military bases around the world in various countries. Those countries should pay for their own military protection. Why should we foot the bill when our national debt threatens our future and present viability? We still have military bases in Germany. I lived outside of one almost 60 years ago.
Now we hear the wardrums beating against Iran. Will we get drawn into another war over the threat of Iran developing nuclear weapons? The people in Iran have a large, young population that likes the West, but the government is being controlled by extreme religious leaders who show little signs of a willingness for a peaceful solution.
All the nations of the world need to come together and solve this looming disaster. No more wars!
Beverly Brown
Newburyport
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