Oct. 21 marked the eighth anniversary of the passing of 1972 losing Democratic Party presidential candidate South Dakota Sen. George McGovern, who was ahead of his time in his race against Republican President Richard Nixon.
McGovern’s platform included ending the Vietnam War. It also called for spending the billions wasted on the war to rebuild America, along with saving lives by bringing the troops home. McGovern was too proud to emphasis his military experience as a decorated World War II bomber pilot. Nixon attempted to portray him as soft on national defense.
Since 2001 we have spend $6.4 trillion (Source: November 2019 report, Brown University Watson Institute of International and Public Affairs) on our involvement in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Pakistan wars. There was also the loss of 7,000 American military along with additional private military contractors employed to assist in the fighting. Thousands more suffer day to day with permanent physical injuries.
Was it worth spending the dollars and lives? What we have gotten in return?
Larry Penner
Great Neck
