Operation Iraqi Freedom, Current Problems, and Future Goals

Today, as Americans, we can celebrate that combat missions in Iraq have ceased. Operation Iraqi Freedom is complete. However, there are still the looming effects of the Afghan war and the economic crisis here at home. President Obama ought to be congratulated for honoring his commitment to bring the troops from Iraq back home. After seven and a half years of fighting a war that was waged on false pretenses and falsified evidence, we can bring our brave men and women home and re-evaluate our resources. Countless brave Americans served their country, some for cause they didn’t agree with, and thousands of them have lost their lives. We can only hope that those thousands of Americans did not perish in vain and that the newly formed Iraqi government will be united in their quest for an Iraq that is free of tyranny and oppression.
Now we turn our military attention fully on Afghanistan, which should have been the focus all along. We need to be able to devote our military resources to ensure the safety of our troops on the ground in Afghanistan. While the necessity of being at war in Afghanistan is debatable, the necessity of protecting our men and women in uniform is not. Hopefully, one year from now, we will be able to declare the combat missions complete in Afghanistan and will be able to focus on the problems facing us here at home.
Our government is being divided by partisan politics. We need to find bipartisan solutions that reach across the aisle and work for the benefit of all Americans. For too long, our politicians have lined their pockets and campaign coffers with the money of special interest groups and lobbyists in an effort to keep their jobs and maintain their often-extravagant lifestyles. With the anti-incumbent attitude sweeping across America it is time for a changing of the guard. We need new Representatives and Senators who understand that they work for their constituents and need to do right by the citizens they serve. We need independent voices to fight for the good of the American people.
The economy isn’t recovering as quickly as many had anticipated. Although we are not in a recession any longer, millions of Americans are still unable to find work and get back on their feet. Families across the United States are still struggling to keep a roof over their heads, and many are losing that fight. We need for private industry to start hiring so that more people can get back to work. As the unemployment rate drops, consumer confidence will rise and people will start spending again; hopefully we can get our economy back in full swing by 2012. America has faced economic adversity before, and has come back; we will do it again!

It is this never-ending desire to succeed, our dedication to always do better, and our unwavering fortitude that will drive us forward.

We will overcome these obstacles and will celebrate a prosperous, renewed American spirit.