Here we sit on day 68 of the war in Ukraine, and seemingly no end in sight. Let there be no doubt, what is happening in Ukraine is not only disturbing, but heartbreaking for a people vying for their own freedoms. The question however becomes, what will America’s role continue to be in the conflict? Do we continue down the path of supplying weaponry and billions of dollars for likely years to come, or do we finally adhere to a principal both parties have been advocating for years, a more hands off, America First approach?
The latter is surely the correct answer, being that our leaders are elected to represent and support the American people first and foremost, unfortunately the former is the one currently being executed. Before the failed withdrawal from Afghanistan, President Biden rightly exclaimed that we must no longer spend billions and send troops overseas for years long wars… his words were short lived.
Nearly two months into a war a world away, tens of billions of dollars already allocated to helping Ukraine, with another possible $33 billion on its way, we can no longer be the cash cow funding a war with no end date in sight. If America had no problems, had no debt, all residents were well fed and homed, billions of dollars would be no issue at all. Of course, we know America is no utopian society though.
Over $30 trillion in debt, inflation the likes not seen in over 40 years, over half a million homeless Americans, an overrun southern border contributing to enhanced crime and a fentanyl crisis country wide. Yet, instead of focusing time and money on these issues, we have undertaken the responsibility to fund and attribute valuable time and effort to a war a world away.
What we are witnessing here is exactly what we witnessed during the beginning of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. A political establishment on both sides of the aisle that are firmly in agreement on funding a war a world away. Republicans who have for years now exclaimed America First, yet whose actions have actually equated to America last, and Democrats who have for years railed against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, now advocating for the exact same thing.
What must happen here is very simple, we must continue advocating for the freedom of the Ukrainian people on the world stage through both words, and actions in the form of targeted sanctions against those perpetrating the war, as opposed to broad sanctions that have indirectly hurt both the Russian people, and the American people as well. We must support the Ukrainian people through a real America First approach. Not another dollar should be spent on the war without actual justification how that money, which is hard earned taxpayer money, is actually helping the American people.
Instead of spending billions upon billions of dollars overseas, let’s allocate that money to eradicating our ever-growing debt. Let’s spend that money on actually securing our southern border. Let’s use that money to invest in our homeless population and turn the once homeless into actual contributors in our society. Lastly, let’s not use that money on yet another years long war, and instead invest it back into the American people. When our leaders finally acknowledge their purpose, serving the American people, that is when our problems will be fixed once and for all.
Moshe Maryles is a New York based Political Consultant. In his prior work he has worked on several political campaigns, and in broadcast media as well.
