It’s been more than five years and more than 4,000 U.S. military lives since the start of the conflict the American government would probably just as soon label a “national Iraq betterment conference” as a war.
According to the Associated Press, 4,003 soldiers have died — 4,004 according to http://www.cnn.com in the conflict the government lovingly refers to as “Operation: Iraqi Freedom.” However, those numbers are probably changing as you read this.
It’s also been five years since our esteemed commander-in-chief uttered those confident, pseudo-reassuring words: “mission accomplished.”
Oh, is it, now? And we’re still over there … Why?
Government officials want the public to believe that the violence is down in Iraq, when in fact recent attacks (as well as military deaths) have escalated.
The Green Zone, occupied and protected by U.S. troops, has been attacked three times this week, most recently with 16 rockets, reported on Wednesday. Mortar attacks, roadside bombings and suicide bombings continue in that area and all around Iraq every day.
On the war’s five-year anniversary, a White House spokeswoman told reporters “The president feels each and every one of the deaths very strongly and he grieves for their families.”
I’m sure he does, while he’s taking a break to go ride horses on his Texas ranch or whatever it is he does down there.
Other countries apparently do not really believe in our country’s “mission” or are willing to participate in it — Britain recently released control of Basra to the Iraqi inhabitants. Basra is currently being riddled with street fights and Shiite militia attacks from members who are ignoring Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki’s ultimatum to surrender their guns.
According to http://www.defenselink.mil/news/casualty.pdf, 139 of the deaths occurred during actual “combat” operations — March 19 through April 30.
According to the Department of Defense’s chart on the Web site, since May 1, 2003, we have been in “post combat” operations. However, almost all of the 4,000 deaths occurred during that time — many during combat.
Also according to the site, nearly 30,000 have been wounded. However, that number is probably much higher, since it doesn’t take into account the number of cases of post traumatic stress disorder.
For those of us with friends or family deployed to Iraq, many for the second or third time, 4,003 is exactly 4,003 too many. Especially when compared to the 160,000 troops who are over there. Since the 2,600 Oklahoma National Guard troops were mobilized this past year, many families in the state are feeling the strain of the war.
The National Priorities Project on its Web site said that $503,153,176,198 has been spent on the war to date (that’s right — 503 billion — and that number was climbing so fast I couldn’t keep up with it).
However, that number pales in comparison to the values of the lives lost. For some of us, every time the phone rings or there is a knock at the door our heart stops for a second or two.
It’s hard for many to picture the personal and emotional impact of something happening until it actually does — but think of how many young children are now fatherless, how many are now motherless, how many spouses are left alone.
Go to http://www.cnn.com/specials/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/ to put a face on the deceased and this idea in perspective. Many of those killed didn’t even make it out of their teens.
How many people have to die before the government admits we are involved in a full-blown war? How many people have to die before the government realizes that what we are attempting isn’t working — and that we are fighting for a lost cause?
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