Somebody help me understand why we cannot have Marine guards at all of our consulates and embassies around the world, now that we have ended one war and are winding down a second war.

Everyone is concerned about cutting the defense budget and what that will do to jobs, but seriously, if we just replaced all the mercenaries we have guarding our embassies and consulates where they are probably less effective than our Marines (like in Benghazi), we would be able to continue to employ our troops doing exactly the kind of work they were hired to do. I would feel much safer if I were being guarded by troops that have sworn to uphold the Constitution and protect and defend the United States (and I have lived overseas and appreciate having Marines as the guards at both consulates and embassies).

The cost of mercenaries is outrageous and means our actual troops are not used where they should be during peacetime. We could save a great deal of money on the defense budget if we just worried about employing our troops.

American taxpayers are not obligated to find jobs for mercenaries. We are obligated to provide meaningful employment to all the men and women who have devoted their lives to our exceptional military.

Marilyn Lee

Florence