LP Monday Message: Democrats, Republicans want more troops in Afghanistan

October 12, 2009

Dear Friend of Liberty,

I am disappointed that the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Barack Obama. That prize should go to individuals who end wars and make peace, not those who make war.

President Obama has utterly failed to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has increased American military involvement in Afghanistan, and appears ready to escalate that war even further.

Instead of a Peace Prize, the president should have received a Fleece Prize — for fleecing current and future American taxpayers to further his bigger-than-big-government domestic and military agenda.

You might have seen news accounts from the weekend showing Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein both supporting an increase in troop levels in Afghanistan.

Perhaps President Obama would earn a peace prize if he were to change course, go against most Republican and Democratic party leaders, and support a Libertarian non-interventionist foreign policy instead.

The following is from the Libertarian Party’s Platform, Plank 3.1, National Defense: "We support the maintenance of a sufficient military to defend the United States against aggression. The United States should both abandon its attempts to act as policeman for the world and avoid entangling alliances."

I realize that some Libertarians disagree on what course the U.S. military should take in Afghanistan. I hope you’ll go to our website and take our new poll, which asks, "Which statement best reflects your views on U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan?"

Sincerely,

Wes Benedict
Executive Director
Libertarian National Committee

P.S. If you have not yet become a member of the Libertarian Party and wish to do so, please click here and join the only political party dedicated to free markets and civil liberties. If you need to renew, please click here. If you would like to make a contribution separate from membership, please click here.