Our country is in an economic mess. Our national debt is growing. Cuts are being proposed to Social Security, Medicare, etc. Teachers in Albert Lea are being cut.

In this time of crisis, we simply cannot afford to waste any more tax money or lose any more precious lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have been in these two places way too long and it is time to get out.

We went into Iraq to destroy their weapons of mass destruction. Years ago we found out they did not exist. We have lost American lives and spend over $1 trillion to protect us from a threat that does not exist. This seems absurd to me. It is time to get out.

After Sept. 11, 2001, we went into Afghanistan to prevent more terrorist attacks on the U.S. After spending billions of dollars there, we now know that most of the terrorists are hiding in Pakistan. They are being trained in other countries. It is long past time to get out.

How can we justify wasting any more money in Iraq and Afghanistan? It is time to get out.

John Wojszynski

Albert Lea