U.S. cannot afford more Afghan support

I read “Afghanistan: Support needed until 2024” in the Dec. 6 Gazette and came away shaking my head in disbelief. “About 100 nations and international organizations - jointly pledged political and financial long-term support for war-torn Afghanistan.”

My God, when the United States is shutting down the U.S. Postal Service, and leaders are cutting or looking at cutting Social Security benefits, Medicare, Medicaid and the defense budget, we can still consider sending billions of dollars down this rat hole? Hamid Karzai said Afghanistan will need $10 billion every year until 2024.

Afghanistan will never be a poster child for democracy. These tribes have been fighting each other for centuries and no amount of money will stop that. Whatever happened to common sense? Whatever happened to America first? Take care of American citizens and taxpayers first. Let these Middle Eastern countries take care of themselves, or not. Whatever happened to the oil revenue that we were supposed to collect from Iraq to finance the war?

Dell Fossum

Decorah