On the recordMarch 10, 2010
There is nothing conservative about the war in Afghanistan. In fact, it goes against every traditional conservative position I have ever known. It has meant massive foreign aid which we cannot afford and of which conservatives have traditionally been the biggest critics. It has meant huge deficit spending, shortly after a time when the Congress has raised our national debt to over $14 trillion. Conservatives have traditionally been against huge deficit spending. Conservatives have been the biggest critics of the U.N. and biggest opponents to world government, and certainly the war in Afghanistan has gone right along with that. Fiscal conservatives should be the most horrified about the hundreds of billions that has been spent over there. This war has gone on for more than 8 years. At a time when the war in Iraq had gone on for a far shorter time than that, William F. Buckley, who opposed the war in Iraq, wrote this about that war: "A respect for the power of the United States is engendered by our success and engagements in which we take part. A point is reached when tenacity conveys not steadfastness of purpose, but misapplication of pride." He went on to say, if this war drags on, talking about the war in Iraq, he said, "Where there had been skepticism about our venture, there will be contempt." All of those words apply equally well to the war in Afghanistan.
