The presumptive Republican nominee for president, Sen. John McCain, has stated repeatedly that U.S. soldiers must remain in Iraq, even if that means they have to stay another 100 years. There is no yardstick for victory for him, he just says U.S. armed forces must stay there to protect the homeland from people who have never posed a threat to us, and had nothing to do with the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

We have accomplished nothing in Iraq since toppling Saddam Hussein, except starting a civil war and stealing their oil to benefit our oil companies. So lets look at the human and economic costs of McCain’s unique brand of stupidity: If we stay in Iraq for 100 years as he has said he wants us to, that would mean total troop deaths would ultimately exceed 80,000 and the total amount of money spent for the Iraq fiasco would be $14,400,000,000,000 (14.4 trillion). And these figures are based on what has happened in the past five years in terms of troop deaths and monthly Iraq war expenditures. These numbers will only increase.

I suggest that we place enlistment forms in the voting booths this November and anyone who votes for McCain be required to enlist to serve in his 100-year war.

By the way, guess who supports John McCain’s vision of Iraq? Sen. Susan Collins, who consistently votes to keep our troops in the intractable Iraqi civil war.

Dave Chirayath, Lewiston


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