"A Bright Shining Lie"

Before I give you my take on events, let me assure readers that I am 5th generation American, maternal and 3rd Generation paternal - all from Ireland. My family has served this nation in every war since the War Between the States. I served two years here and overseas in the U.S. Army and two years active reserve. I am honorably discharged. And over 200 of our surname we're at Valley Forge.

I grew up with Democratic roots before the party went Left. I took the bait, hook, line and sinker. I was a youngster when President Eisenhower said "beware the military-industrial complex" I later read it but didn't really understand exactly what he was talking about. Since then I've witnessed American involvement everywhere, e.g., Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Iraq, et al. I now have come to believe that the financial interests behind defense spending does NOT have the interests of America in mind. We're going to fund war somewhere else after our current wars are conducted. We have betrayed our doughboys of WWI who fought "the war to end all wars."

Oh, yes, I'm for a strong defense....but for here at home, not in Afghanistan, South America, Israel and everywhere else we can think of creating conflict or allegedly defending a country in the name of liberty, democracy and freedom. As the late LTC John Paul Vann had advanced in Neil Sheehan's book about him titled, "A Bright Shining Lie", we're being hoodwinked.

We're pulling out of Iraq but staying in Afghanistan. Afghanistan? What the hell are we doing there. We don't need them; they don't need us! Yet we're being told that we need to be there for the Afghan people. They're TRIBAL! Yet they would have us believe that we need to give them troops, guns and money. We're being hoodwinked.

The Irish diaspora throughout the world has a quote for the long overdue need for England to completely remove themselves from Ireland - 'TIME TO GO!' It now applies to our military presence everywhere but within our borders. If we can accomplish that, industry and investment will return. It can happen, as long as we don't allow ourselves to continue to be deceived by the foreign policy being crafted by our Department of State.