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Voting For Peace

By Barry L. Reece

Throughout more than a dozen recent presidential TV debates we learned very little regarding any plans to end America's longest war. The US-led invasion of Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 marked the beginning of a war that shows no signs of abating. The vast sacrifice of US lives and millions of dollars in military spending over the past 15 years has received very little attention among candidates for political office. America has initiated three long wars (Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan) that have lasted 33 years altogether. Two of these wars still continue. We need to elect candidates for political office who support peace initiatives.

Barry Reece joined the Iowa National Guard in 1953. Two years later he enlisted in the US Army. At the time he was discharged, he held the rank of Specialist 3rd class. Throughout the past fifteen years he has been an active member of Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Veterans For Peace, and the Peace Media Group. He has published several peace poems. Reece is Professor Emeritus at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.