Ever since the United States invasion of Afghanistan, America’s debt has risen exponentially and the United States image internationally has dropped. As the war on terrorism has continued to fail, the fact that these wars put the U.S. in more danger than they have prevented has become ever more obvious. After ten years of gruesome war, Osama Bin Laden has finally been killed. Now, more than ever, is the time for the United States to finally withdraw from Afghanistan.

To pay for the expansive war in Afghanistan, the United States has taken on back-breaking levels of debt from countries such as China and Japan. With surprising positive correlation, as the American War in Afghanistan was being waged, American national debt as a percentage of GDP rose from 57% in 2000 to 94% in 2010 (“(9/2010) United States Federal Debt Compared To Other Nations.” par. 4). United States history indicates that public debt tends to increase during times of war. (“(9/2010) United States Federal Debt Compared To Other Nations.” par. 4) In 1991, after waging a similar decade-long war in Afghanistan, the Soviet Union collapsed due to their war-time debt, following their debtors refusal to make further loans. (“U.S. Collapse, Like Soviet Union’s Inevitable.” par. 1) While many people argue that increased national debt is just the cost of keeping America safe at home, one must understand that the U.S. government pays for this debt not through taxation, but rather currency inflation. When inflation occurs, the cost of war and nation building is passed on to the American people, stealing their savings by wiping out the value of their currency. If the War in Afghanistan does not end, once all monetary tricks to fund the war are depleted, the United States will fall to the same fate as other great nations such as Rome. (Paul par. 7)

The War in Afghanistan has been detrimental to American foreign relations and the public image of America around the world. With Pakistan especially, the nuclear power bordering Afghanistan which in the past has assisted the United States on combating insurgency, American relations have been strained. Recently, a group of U.S. Navy SEALs killed Osama Bin Laden during a raid in Pakistan. This raid, which took place under Pakistan’s radar, has brought its already declining relations with the United States to an all-time low. (Miklaszewski par. 16) American image had gradually declined for decades. In a study on the general public of twenty-five countries, only five had less than 30% bearing favorable views of the United States, all of which were predominantly Muslim. (Wike par. 3) Starting with the overthrow of the Iranian government, American involvement and presence in the Muslim world has had a negative impact on their image. Their war in Afghanistan has further decreased the Muslim view of America three-fold. Although some say America needs to maintain glory, in 2009, 59% of American adults believed that the war was not worth fighting. (Agiesta par. 9) Anti-war American presidential candidate Ron Paul, has received more military donations than incumbent Barack Obama, (Clabough par. 8 ) and more than twice as much as all other Republican presidential hopefuls combined! (Clabough par. 1) The American military personnel have put their money where their mouth is, the “Honor and Glory” fantasy which some hold as justification for furthering human losses in Afghanistan is not held by those on the front-lines.

After the killing of Osama Bin Laden, theoretically the War on Terrorism should be over. This is not the case; the umbrella term “terrorism” has been used as an excuse for never-ending war. Although some believe that the people who attacked us on September 11th hated us “because we were free”, in reality every effect has a cause. Blowback, the violent unintended result of covert operations, is the result of decades of covert military offenses waged by the American government In the middle east. Operations in the Muslim world such as the covert CIA overthrow of Iran in the 1950s and installment of the Sha dictatorship (Hunter par. 3) played a large roll in why America was attacked on the morning of September 11th. The twin tower attacks should have proved one thing, that entangling alliances and secret military intervention around the world has dire consequences. 9/11 taught America the wrong lesson, and while the U.S. should have killed Osama Bin Laden and withdrawn, instead they have used it to justify a second invasion of Iraq. The American mission to Afghanistan should have solely been to kill Osama Bin Laden and get out; instead their military has been misused to occupy and build that nation, putting America at a far greater national security risk than had they just left. Although some shun the statement that the 9/11 attacks were the blowback of prior foreign policy, to do so is to shun the relationship between cause and effect. Those who preach that the 9/11 attacks were not unprovoked are in no way claiming that they were justified. The 9/11 attacks were a grisly, back-stabbing attack on America, an attack which the U.S. government put Americans at risk of.

With the rising United States debt, war is something America cannot afford, especially now. Through inflation, U.S. leaders pass the cost of perpetual war onto the average American citizen, depleting the value of their currency. While the United States image both at home and abroad has declined, the endless War on Terrorism is placing American civilians in more danger than ever before. The War on Terrorism is the most serious current threat to U.S. national security. Now that Osama Bin Laden has been killed, complete withdrawal from Afghanistan would be a good start to eliminate the threat of entangling alliances to American national security. A withdraw from Afghanistan would raise the level of American peace and prosperity, (Paul par. 7) something Americans could really use in these tough economic times.

Works cited

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