Afghanistan needs a Marshall Plan

Dear President Obama,

This is your eighth month as president and my eighth letter. It is great that you can combine your work with your vacation. I am sure your family enjoyed the wonders of the Grand Canyon and the hot springs. Years ago I coined the phase "The world is so big and I am so, so small but God has given little me the power to comprehend this beauty, This was not only given to me but to all of us human folks."

Thanks for your letter of Aug. 3, especially your last line, "lay a new foundation for real and lasting progress." You have some tough problems, have your leaders studied the Canadian health plan, it helped my aunt.

I am very concerned about the Afghanistan war. The papers report 27 folks were killed during the recent election. I read where you know sadly about the history of this country and so many countries spent years fighting there. Can't we, with other countries, set up an economic plan like the Marshall Plan after World War II?

Can't we cut the military budget, spend part of the money on economic aid, and part to reduce the 13 trillion debt?

Robert Pendleton

Elk Grove Village