As the US continues to suffer the consequences of military forays into the Middle East – campaigns based largely on faulty intelligence – former presidential candidate Ron Paul has a sobering suggestion: maybe it’s time for America to be content, and let its troops march home.
"Twelve years ago last week, the US launched its invasion of Iraq," Paul begins, writing his latest article for the Ron Paul Institute. And it has, indeed, been twelve excruciating years since coalition forces launched their “shock and awe” attack against Saddam Hussein’s government.
"Before the attack I was accused of exaggerating the potential costs of the war when I warned that it could end up costing as much as $100 billion," Paul writes. Despite that criticism, Paul may have even been lowballing the total cost. Last March, Reuters estimated that the war continues to cost in excess of $1.7 trillion. And that’s not including the War in Afghanistan.