Last night, you saw the pictures and video from Eisenhower Hall where the president gave his speech.
The hall holds approximately 4500 people. Many (if not most) of those in attendance were cadets -- the very people who will likely fight this war going forward.
So when we talk about whether or not this plan is the "right one," whether we can believe in it, whether we even understand what it entails and what we might get back in return for doing it, I want you to focus on the realities:
Given the scope of the president's plan, it is very likely that the total casualties -- the combined dead, wounded and injured -- will equal several hundred servicemen per month.
What this means is that in the ensuing 18 month time window outlined by the president – after which we will begin to withdraw our forces -- approximately 4,000 servicemen will be counted among the casualties.
In other words, every single one of the cadets you saw last night (or servicemen just like them) will be either killed, wounded, or injured.
That is the true cost for what the president wants to do.
So imagine for a moment every one of those 4,000 cadets standing up and filing out of the auditorium at the end of the speech.
Imagine their empty seats.
Now imagine they are never going to come back. Imagine that their families are never going to be the same ever again -- because of what the president has ordered.
Before you object that I'm arguing against Obama's order, I am not. I am simply asking you to understand the true cost of what we are doing in very, very real terms because only then can we assemble – each of us for ourselves – the answers to the only four questions that matter this morning.
- What are we being asked by the president to do?
- What is it going to cost us?
- What will we get for doing it?
- Can we believe what we’re hearing?
The answer to question number two is being tossed around with a debate about how to pay for the war. Some say we should levy a surtax; others simply say we can borrow/print more money to cover the costs. But there is precious little in the press about the true cost of this endeavor.
Imagine the 4,000 cadets sitting in Eisenhower Hall last night. Then imagine their seats being empty. Then make your decision about whether or not you support this effort.
Maybe you still support the president. Maybe not.
But don’t kid yourself – make an informed decision.
Based on the answers to those four questions, every one of us will decide for ourselves whether or not we can support this policy.
Some will decide that the sacrifice is worth it. Some will decide that the empty auditorium – the absent fathers, sons, brothers and husbands – is a small price to pay for freedom and liberty.
Others will decide that it was, is, and will be a hopeless, thankless task that will cost far too much in blood and treasure.
So answer these four questions for yourself. Talk to your friends and neighbors; focus on the answers to these four questions – especially question number two.
It’s not too late to make your voice heard -- yet.