Political debate in Washington this week has been dominated by discussions about what the contours of the U.S.'s involvement in Syria will be.
There have been debates about the long-term effects of our decisions and there have been debates about how a potential strike could affect the balance of world power in the short term. It's important to look back at what our past military actions have left in their wake too.
As of this week, 2,253 American soldiers have died in Afghanistan. In Iraq, 6,668.
In Afghanistan, the army and police forces can't keep recruits thanks to absent pay and apathy. There are doubts about who will be able to protect the country once our forces leave.
Obama said yesterday that "This is not Iraq, and this is not Afghanistan." This may be true, but it is important to remember the ripples that may emanate from the resolution to be voted on next week could extend for years, and across many lives, regardless of the length and size of our involvement.
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