The United States has cultivated an image of war as easy and inexpensive despite a poor record of performance. Since World War II, the U.S. has tied in Korea, lost Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and won the first Gulf War. A record of 1-3-1 can not be viewed as a success.

In reality, the U.S. government has spent an extra $925 billion (on top of $2 trillion in direct war spending) on interest repayment alone since 2001. The American public is still subsidizing these efforts but is detached from their stake in the conflict. The reality of our many wars no longer touches the general populace.

Our All-Voluntary Force is failing rapidly. This presents the U.S. as weak to our enemies and allies. It is also a threat to our national security. We become embroiled in unending wars while lacking the manpower to defend ourselves or see campaigns through to their ends. The price of war has been shouldered by a miniscule portion of the population, largely from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. These service members and their families grapple with combat deaths, suicides, debilitating injuries, PTSD, and substance abuse. Meanwhile, richer Americans, including our legislators who send these men and women off to war, are overwhelmingly absent from service.

Lasting peace is in the best interest of our nation. That will happen only when every American has a direct stake—whether monetary or physical—in its execution.

Read the full piece in Newsweek here. 

The U.S. government has demonstrated to the public that they are willing to lie their way into constant conflict. The only way to restore trust, interest, and caution in our military is by ensuring all Americans have skin in the game.

Maj. Gen. Dennis Laich