Five Questions We Deserve Answers To

As the hours draw closer to President Obama's speech to the nation that will most likely result in us going to war again, there are many Americans who want and deserve answers to questions that are rarely answered. These are questions that politicians know are on the minds of citizens but they go to great lengths to avoid answering them. It is time these questions are finally addressed in an open and honest manner before we jump into another war.

1. What will the United States military do differently this time that will help create a lasting peace in the Middle East? There's really no point in waging another military campaign to rid the area of a dangerous terrorist threat if it ends up like the last couple we fought. Billions of dollars spent, a crashed economy, thousands of lives lost and more left with permanent injuries is not a victory to be proud of. In fact, given the current state of life in Iraq and Syria, one could easily argue it was a defeat since we find ourselves back to square one.
   Whether or not this means no boots on the ground, more boots on the ground, a long lasting U.S. Military presence in the region, or the use of greater and more destructive weaponry on our part are some of the considerations that the American public deserves answers on. To simply repeat the tactics of ten years ago because it worked for a short while is no longer good enough. Americans deserve to know what will be different this time around.
2. What will we see differently from nations like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and Kuwait that will convince Americans they will actively support a lasting peace in the region? Lets face it, the leaders of the nations I just mentioned rarely look at life beyond their palaces. So long as they are able to maintain peace within their borders, they really have not done much to ensure a lasting peace in the Middle East. Our government has armed many of these nations quite handsomely only to see them fail to actively step up and fight for the peaceful existence of all Muslims and non Muslims in the region. Until they actively take part in flushing out terrorist groups and use their military as part of a large coalition force to guarantee peace, they have to be viewed as part of the area's problem and not the solution.
3. Is it wise to continue arming moderate factions who end up becoming our enemy in another five to ten years or should we be more hands on in the post war nation building process? We have to admit, while we made a huge effort toward allowing the Iraqis to build a democracy this last time around, it didn't take hold. It's tough to expect a region to embrace freedom when they have only known repression and war. Post cold war Russia and her satellite nations are still finding this difficult 25 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. While it may seem nice, clean, and simple to hand the keys of a new government over to a group who helped us fight ISIS, they are likely to be ill equipped to not let their new power go to their heads. For this reason, anyone we arm to help fight ISIS will need to know we will be sticking around the region a lot longer this time. While this can be expensive to do, it is not nearly as costly as having to come back a decade later to fight yet another war.
4. How will the cost of this war hurt the American economy now that it is just starting to show signs of life after our post 9/11 wars? Too many middle class Americans lost jobs in part as a result of the high cost of fighting a war last time around. Too many young college graduates are still unable to find work as a result of the post 9/11 economic crash. We deserve to know what to expect this time around. Fighting a war requires sacrifices on the parts of all American citizens and not just those who serve in the military. Can we expect tax increases? Will there be wage freezes or mass layoffs? What type of services can we expect to see cut here at home while more money is geared toward the military? Without addressing these issues, there will not be much long term support, both at home or within a coalition, for an extended war.
5. Why should U.S. Military personnel and their families believe their post war medical needs will be taken care of? War doesn't just mean the loss of life. It also means seeing veterans returning home with amputated limbs, post traumatic stress, and financial challenges. Unfortunately, the VA has done a horrible job in meeting the medical and psychological needs of returning veterans and not enough employers stepped up to provide jobs for returning service men and women. Too many lost their houses, had their credit ruined, and were left in worse shape after serving their country than they would have been if they never served. This war has the great likelihood of needing far more service personnel for a much longer period of time to help bring about a lasting peace in the Middle East. Where are they going to come from if we fail to help meet their unique needs upon returning home? 
   

President Obama, along with members of the intelligence community, congress, as well as economic leaders, need to show us we have learned from the mistakes we made following our post 9/11 military efforts. They can not simply ask us to support them with a blank check and do as we have done in the past and expect to support another war on terrorism.

The truth is, we need a plan that will not only help defeat ISIS but lays the foundation for a continuous war against future terrorist groups. The reality is, we can never let up against this fight. However, there are things we can do, and need to do, differently to ensure the entire burden of peace does not fall on just our shoulders militarily and economically. There needs to be a real and lasting coalition of nations working together. It's time everyone's actions speak louder than their words. However, tonight, we all deserve to hear the words of our president and determine whether or not he is going to answer the questions we all deserve answers to before giving him our full support to go to war.