Enduring Camps

This administration has repeatedly stated that we have no intention of maintaining permanent military bases in Iraq. In support of this spin we now have an administration engaging in withdrawal propaganda because of the upcoming Congressional elections and the concern of a number of Republican Party members about the increasing national debt to pay for the war. There is also increased pressure from the states that are desperate for revenue sharing to pay for needed upgrades to the states’ infrastructure. Rebuilding Louisiana is one very good example. Billions are being spent for the war and the states are left begging.

Rumsfeld has stated that there are no plans for permanent bases in Iraq. The military commanders have stated the same. Other administration spokesmen have restated ad nauseam that we want to bring the boys home after the job is done. When would that be? Ten years from now?

So after absorbing all this administration spin, what are the facts? Since 2003 billions of dollars have been spent building enormous military bases in Iraq. In a country that has inadequate electricity, undrinkable water, gasoline shortages and unreliable sewer systems, we are building military bases that resemble hometown suburbia. There are Pizza Huts, Burger Kings, Subway sandwich shops, Popeye’s, air conditioning, football fields, rent-a-cars, movie theatres, Px’s, swimming pools, internet connections and much, much more. Some bases are at least 15 square miles. And there are four of these huge American military towns. If that is not indicative of permanency, tell me what is. Incidentally, the Pentagon was calling them “enduring camps” but that sounded a little too permanent. Now let’s say that another administration comes along and decides to really withdraw as was the case in Vietnam. What happens to the bases and all its expensive equipment? Why, it is just left behind to rot and rust, looted, or bulldozed by the local population and it becomes in accounting terms a “sunk cost” to the American taxpayer? Just another budgetary fiasco. O-hum.