To the editor:

As a seriously dedicated 75-year old-citizen, I have always actively participated in the political process and have, over the years, written hundreds of letters to each president, various elected officials in Congress, as well as those at the state and local level, plus local news papers.? Did I mention the fact that I have never missed a scheduled national or local voting event since 1955 when I turned 21? At that time I was legally allowed to vote……. 54 years ago.

Through out USA history, famous and competent leaders have been delivering a few important messages that subsequent leaders all appear to ignore. George Washington published his farewell address in most American newspapers of the time, dated Sept. 17, 1796. A very worth while document. In this document he listed 51 specific noteworthy articles. Item #30 makes reference to the avoidance of the accumulation of national debt and subsequent suggestions to discharge the debts.?

Items #31,32,33,34,and 36 contains a somewhat common message. It deals with the observance of good faith and justice towards all nations and that nothing is more essential than the avoidance of a passionate attachment of one nation for another. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest where no real common interest exists, etc, etc., and the resulting jealousy, ill-will, and a disposition to retaliate, in those whom equal privileges are withheld. Does this sound like he was reading the tea leaves for the Middle East today? In item #35 George Washington suggested that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of any Republican Government. I sincerely believe this was and still is, true.

Let us fast foreword to April 16, 1953. In his speech that became known as his “Choice of Peace Speech,” President D. Eisenhower, in that speech, made a point of noting that: “Any nation’s attempt to dictate to other nations their form of government, is indefensible.” A few paragraphs later he shared his brilliant opinion of the burden of arms draining the wealth and labor of all peoples. He stated: “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.”

“This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. The cost of one modern heavy bomber is this: a modern brick school for more than 30 cities. It is two electric power plants, each serving a town of 60,000 population. It is two fine, fully equipped hospitals.”

“It is some 50 miles of concrete highways. We pay for a single fighter with half a million bushels of wheat. We pay for a single destroyer with new homes that could have housed more than 8,000 people.”

“This, I repeat, is the best way of life to be found on the road the world has been taking. This is not a way of life at all, in any true sense. Under the cloud of threatening war, it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron. These plain and cruel truths define the peril and point to the hope that comes within this spring of 1953.”

It is worth noting that these observances and analysis were the cumulation of a lifetime spent in a successful military career. In his farewell address from the presidency on January 17,1961, Ike stated: “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for a disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this connection endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.”

Needless to say, subsequent presidents and congressmen/women have summarily ignored this sound and very sensible advice.

The corporate lobbyists, however, have utilized it to their own financial advantage. The military-industrial complex has taken control of the economy as well as the legislative process. This definitely needs fixed! Unless we reverse this situation, our future as a Republic is very questionable.

In 2007 the Pentagon reported 702 overseas bases in 130 foreign countries on which are stationed 250,000 uniformed troops, plus dependents, and plus civilian employees on many of them. Some refer to this as our “overseas empire.” If we are to gain control of the federal budget, we need to start aggressively dismantling this monster money-sucking military machine. Armed conflict never offers a permanent solution to differences. There will always be another Adolph Hitler or a Joseph Stalin. Nor do our formal decrees we refer to as “trade sanctions” truly work. Most of the world considers them a form of blackmail. In all honesty, that is precisely what it is. All countries faced with them use them as propaganda to convince their citizens to “dig in for the long haul.”

Prime example is Cuba. The most recent result there is we now have China drilling for oil less than 90 miles from Key West. Now there is a true success story, after 60 odd years of trade sanctions. Not exactly my idea of success.

Close scrutiny of all wars in history reveal primarily only two reasons for armed warfare. Religion and resources. The oldest recorded language, Sanskrit, the ancient and classical language of the Hindus of India, contains a word for war that also translates as “a desire for more cows.” That falls in the category of resources. Religious wars are the endless and futile effort to impose your religion and beliefs on others with different religions. Chances for success here are slim to none.

In the Middle East, we have a mixture of both scenarios, simultaneously, involving three major religions. Chances for resolution and/or success here are zero! We need to accept that fact.

In the Middle East we have a 2,000 year old conflict involving both religion and resources as a general theme. This will probably continue for at least 500,000 more years or until the human race becomes extinct, which ever comes first. It does not require a lot of brain power to determine the problems in that area are influenced by over population competing for limited resources, excessive poverty, and autocratic governments of different religious and political persuasions. From 1967 to 1989 the UN General Assembly has passed 429 resolutions against Israel. These resolutions “condemned,” “censured,” or “deplored” the member state or its actions. Result: more of the same. Needless to say this type of activity does not generate a sense of trust, well being, or cooperation with one’s neighbors. With the misguided support of the USA, Israel has continued to ignore these resolutions. Who, exactly, are we kidding…….. and why??

It is a sad testament to the human race to think for even one second we have thousands of people in the Middle East that are 60 years old and are still living in the refugee camps? they were born in. What kind of an outlook, attitude, and behavior can we rightfully expect from those with absolutely no meaningful education, abject poverty, and a dismal, bleak future?

A review of the historical record of the Middle Eastern conflicts, as far back as the time prior to the Crusades, reflects a much different approach to warfare than most Western civilizations. Their understanding of warfare has always avoided pitched encounters for the most part. They rely instead on endless patience, dissimulation, false negotiations, endless, insincere, disingenuous negotiations, timing, cleverness, and seemingly endless maneuvering. Pretty basic tactics for a society of inferior military strength and wealth. Looking back at 2,000 years of their history, it is safe to assume their ultimate goal is absolutely a permanent commitment and their resolve is unrelenting. They have an unflinching belief in their mission and a severe dislike for barbarians, marauders, and infidels. A no win situation for any outsider as I see it.

There is more than enough commitment, money, and interest to run this country properly and properly if only we can only discard the fanciful notion we are the world’s police force and concentrate solely on the care, education, and welfare of the citizens within our own borders. Not many years have passed since we witnessed the collapse of the USSR as a result of an excessive military monster, very similar to ours today. To continue to spend large annual deficits is a recipe for total collapse of our government and will ultimately lead to serious civil unrest. President Eisenhower was most definitely correct. How many years of college tuition do you think we could have paid for with the money we spent to have several thousand nuclear bombs in storage gathering dust? What a disquieting thought.

Robert E. Workman

Cape Coral