End the airstrikes in the Middle East

To the editor:

U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East is making a bad problem worse. Every time our political elite topple a dictator or try to 'fix” a country, it destabilizes the region and becomes a terrorist training camp. We try to arm moderates, but radicals end up with our weapons and armored vehicles. The best action our next commander in chief can take is to remove us from the situation; no drone attacks, no ground forces and no airstrikes. Militant numbers will continue to grow as long as our leaders continue killing civilians.

According to leaked documents published by The Intercept, during operation 'Haymaker,” there were 10 accidental deaths for every 1 militant assassinated in an airstrike. The survivors of these airstrikes have to rebuild their lives after their friends or family members are killed. Living through this is what causes people to take up arms against us. If we want to see the number of militants go down, the solution is to end the airstrikes in the Middle East.

With Iowa caucuses on Feb. 1, it's a great time to have this foreign policy discussion. Many candidates can talk tough politics, but which of them will take intelligent and tough action if elected? Iowans need to decide which candidates are prepared to fix the problem at its source and which candidates will continue unlimited spending on perpetual unauthorized war.

Nathan Nuzum

Cedar Rapids