Our longest running war still runs on and on


The war in Iraq now is now the country's longest armed conflict, having passed the American Civil War in duration. Only the French and Indian War of 1756-1763 lasted longer; that was the North American phase of a struggle between Britain and France that took place largely in Europe. Although it was decisive in ending France's claim on the Northeast, it took place before the United States was a nation. It did serve to exhibit George Washington's skill as a British officer who was not granted a regular commission.

Looking back over the events leading to Iraq war, I am not among those who charge that President Bush deliberately lied to justify the American invasion. I think he believed Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction that were a genuine threat. Where Mr. Bush was wrong was in empowering a group of arrogant civilian ideologues, with an appalling ignorance of the cultures and history of the Middle East, who cherrypicked and skewed intelligence to foment a war with unbelievable disregard for the consequences.


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And so we commit more troops and billions without end, stretching our armed forces to their limit. I have come to believe with Rep. Charles Rangel that the situation calls for resumption of the military draft — not because there is any chance it will be adopted at this time, but because that would be the only fair way to assure that the burden would be borne by all groups in our society, the sons and daughters of the rich as well as the poor.

Today's wholly professional forces may be ordered back multiple times. Politicians would think twice before authorizing multiple demands on civilian soldiers.

And that limitation might make us a little more reluctant as a country to take on new burdens as a world policeman. Some problems exist in this complicated global society that we are not wise enough or strong enough even to attempt to solve militarily. That realization would give us extra reason to avoid unnecessary confrontations by using our diplomatic skills, as the Bush administration, to its credit, finally seems to have done in working to resolve the nuclear weapons dispute with North Korea.


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Indeed, if and when we ever get back to a time when we can discuss national policy philosophically without some political campaign or military crisis looming, I hope we can again take up the idea of national service. Sixty years ago President Truman believed in what was called universal military training. Thinking has broadened to encompass two years of service to the country when every young man and woman turns 18.

Such service might be in the military, but it could also include the Peace Corps abroad or Americorps back home, work in hospitals, conservation, forest fire control and a host of other publicly-needed activities. I can think of no better way to encourage the idealistic urge of young people to serve their country, acquaint them with the scope of national needs and challenges, and to develop good citizens of tomorrow.


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Now that some of the dust has settled in the discussion of a new site for the Salisbury Transfer Station, it is important to concentrate on fundamentals. First Selectman Curtis Rand acted in what he thought was the best interest of the town in obtaining options on two essential land parcels; he erred in not sharing the secret with the other two selectmen to obtain their assent before papers were signed. But what is done is done. Now the selectmen must assure that all the legal requirements are met and obtain appraisals of the prospective site in preparation for a town informational meeting.

Salisbury has some big expenditures ahead in addition to the Transfer Station, among others for a new headquarters for the Lakeville Hose Company and for a new recreation building at the Town Grove. As means of financing are discussed, it will be useful to delineate priorities. Sharon may or may not decide to continue the arrangement sharing Transfer Station costs, balancing some loss of convenience in the new site against the likely greater expenses of acquiring and staffing a new site of its own.

It is clear that there will be more and more emphasis on recycling, and this constitutes a strong argument for regionalism. Years ago Connecticut towns used to haul certain kinds of trash to the Amenia landfill, and presumably there is no legal barrier to cooperation across state lines. Thus it might well be that the new Salisbury Transfer Station would be attractive to private collectors in Millerton and North East, where there is no public trash disposal system, and thereby save money for all concerned.


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I have much enjoyed reading the new book by our Sharon neighbor James Buckley. "Gleanings from an Unplanned Life" has the unusual format of an oral history, consisting of questions and answers in successive interviews, with extensive commentaries directly by Mr. Buckley. He is perhaps the only living American with experiences at a high level in all three branches of government: as a United States senator from New York, under secretary of state in the Reagan administration and as a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1985 to his retirement from an active judicial role in 1996. He also was president of Radio Free Europe from 1982 to 1985.

Being far removed from many of Jim Buckley's political views, I find myself in remarkable agreement with many of his actions as a senator, and I have been greatly impressed by his fairness as a judge irrespective of personal opinions. We share interests in the environment and the Arctic. Where I remain sad is that on behalf of the Reagan administration he withdrew American support for international family planning agencies that supported abortion. To me it seems that family planning help is the best way of avoiding a resort to abortion by desperate women.

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