In the quiet morning of the heartland, as the sun peeks over the golden fields, there’s a heavy silence. A silence that whispers of the sons and daughters who once played and worked here, now forever resting in distant graves. This is what Veterans Day calls us to remember—the many Americans who fought and fell in far-off wars, from the trenches of World War I to the burning sands of Iraq.

Since the guns of World War I fell silent, America has been drawn into a river of wars that never seem to end. Too often, these were not our fights. Ancient hatreds, foreign interests, and the greed of the powerful have sent our bravest into battles that weren’t ours to begin with. We’ve tried to fix the world’s problems with American blood, and too many of our best have paid the price.

The cost of our recent wars in the Middle East is a staggering $14 trillion since 2001. But the true cost isn’t counted in dollars. It’s the empty seat at the dinner table, the child who will never feel their parent’s embrace again. It’s the soldier who came home with scars no one can see, and the limbs left behind on the battlefield. Our heartland has been hollowed out, its children sacrificed, while the powerful in their high towers grew rich and celebrated.

We’ve fought in deserts and jungles, on mountains cold and bare, often with no clear victory in sight. The promises of a safer world, of freedom and democracy, often faded away. Instead, we got endless war, endless loss, and a chasm of grief that swallows families and communities whole. The factory worker from Ohio, the farmer from Kansas, the nurse from Alabama—they all paid the price, while the privileged few who championed these wars kept their own children safe and sound.

It’s time to say enough. War should be the last resort, not the first reflex. If our leaders are so eager to send our sons and daughters to die, let them first offer their own children. Let them understand the true cost of their decisions. If a small country like Ukraine can send everyone aged 16 to 60 to the front lines, then surely our leaders can do the same if they believe in the war so strongly.

America First should mean defending our borders, protecting our people, and putting their welfare above all else. It should mean following the wisdom of our Founders, who warned against foreign entanglements. It should mean honoring our Constitution, which gives the power to declare war to Congress, not the president alone.

With malice towards none and charity towards all, we wish every nation well. But we must take care of our own. We must keep our people safe, help them prosper, and ensure their futures are bright. This Veterans Day, let us remember the brothers and sisters we lost, the limbs we left behind, and the dreams that were shattered. Let us honor their sacrifice by demanding a better, more just path forward.

Let us stand tall, America, and say with one voice: No more. No more of our children’s blood spilled on foreign soil for causes not our own. No more of our treasure wasted on endless wars that serve only to make the rich richer. No more hearts broken, families shattered, and communities destroyed.

It is time to bring our warriors home, to heal our nation, and to build a future that truly honors the sacrifices of our veterans. Let us create an America that is safe, strong, and worthy of their legacy. Let us weep for what has been taken from us, and resolve to never again allow our leaders to trade in the blood of our bravest for the profits of the few.

Let us strive for an America where every life is precious, every family cherished, and every community thriving. For that is the America our veterans fought and died for, and that is the America we must build in their honor.

Dave Ramaswamy is an independent commentator on Geo politics and strategic affairs.