Roger: It is difficult to accuse Mexico of “invading” the US when the McCains, Obamas, and federal judges welcome them in. As I said, put the tuna out on the porch and the cats will show up! OUR OWN POLITICIANS and “judges” are far more blameworthy than Pedro the dishwasher.

I’ve always wondered whether abolishing the draft was on utilitarian terms a net benefit or cost. The argument that with the draft, deployment of troops would not be so easy and without opposition seems unassailable.

But then, I remember Vietnam. How long did that go on again?

I guess I’ll keep the liberty and apathy of no draft.

I’m a native of Washington, D.C. I travel to D.C. a few times a year.

I remember the TV commercials when I was last home. I saw three in quick succession. Two of them were from military defense contractors. Elsewhere in the country one might see commercials advertising beer, diapers or automobiles. But in D.C. the commercials involve warfare. It’s called knowing your target audience.

There are too many persons in D.C. who profit personally from permanent war.

As for Glenn Beck, he needs to ask himself why George Bush, even after the (alleged) terrorist attacks of 9/11, refused to hermetically seal this country’s borders.

We unilaterally invade other countries.

And Mexico unilaterally invades ours.

That being all said, the time has come (and it has been a long time coming) for a real debate about the merits of the “good war” in Afghanistan. Both the pro-war liberals and the neo-conservatives would have us “stay the course”, but neither can tell us what the course is and exactly why so many young Americans must be killed and maimed for it. Maybe it’s just me, but I do not think my countrymen should give their lives to build a few girl schools (ones that will be blown up or burned down shortly after being built anyways) or prop up a useless and corrupt politician like Hamid Karazi.

Our only business in Afghanistan is to prevent it from ever again being used by jihadists to prepare attacks against our country and our allies. Nation building and establishing a liberal democracy in Afghanistan are of absolutely no concern of ours. We should kill as many of our jihadist enemies as possible and then come back home (and implement some immigration policies that will keep the future Muhammad Attas out of our country).

Sadly, the public is even more apathetic than the war is stupid. The multi-terabuck deficit is too much for most overspending yokels to comprehend. Afghanistan itself is no more real to most Americans than the Andromeda galaxy. And none of the important people: Archer Daniels Midland, Goldman-Sachs, the AARP, the NRA, the labor unions have anything at stake in Afghanistan. With an all volunteer military and contractor force, college students are apathetic as well.