Letter: Eisenhower’s warning was well founded

Friday, Dec. 22, 2006 | 7:10 a.m.

President Dwight Eisenhower warned our country in the 1950s of the danger posed by the military industrial complex. Since his warning, candidates for the presidency have pledged continued support for the military's building momentum. The estimated military budget this year is over $500 billion. Sadly, most Americans still don't feel safe.

Think of the positive changes if $500 billion were spent year after year on peaceful domestic programs after paying off the national deficit. Tax dollars could provide free medical and dental tuition to qualified future nurses and doctors, free tuition for qualified future teachers, free medical and dental care for all citizens. Homelessness could be eliminated.

Instead, tax dollars have built military supremacy and its byproducts: arrogance and self-righteousness. The military has in its arsenal 17,000 nuclear weapons and more are being developed. American troops are stationed in 130 countries. Many countries throughout the world fear our objective is global domination.

Each year military academies graduate thousands of officers. For what purpose? These officers haven't been trained for playground supervision. The juggernaut is continually being fed. Using military force to resolve issues brings with it a plethora of long-lasting negatives.

Our present administration is not willing to directly negotiate with countries it has labeled the "axis of evil." The power of fear and suspicion is still driving the juggernaut. If President Eisenhower were alive today, he would say, "I told you so."

Walt Wayne, Henderson