IRAQ
ARTICLES
The True Costs of the War in Iraq and Why We Must End it NOW!
When U.S. troops invaded Iraq in March 2003, the Bush administration predicted that the war would be self-financing and that rebuilding the nation would cost less than $2 billion.
Coming up on the fifth anniversary of the invasion, a Nobel laureate now estimates that the war in Iraq is costing America $3 trillion.
That estimate from Noble Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz also serves as the title of his new book, "The Three Trillion Dollar War," The book, co-authored with Harvard University professor Linda Bilmes, builds on previous research that was published in January 2006. The book reviews the true cost of the Iraq war including continued military presence in Iraq, the future borrowing and related interest expenses on that borrowing and the lifetime health-care and counseling for veterans involved in the Iraq conflict.
The national debt has increased by some $2.5 trillion since the beginning of the war and now is over $9 trillion. Almost $1 trillion of this debt is due directly to the war itself. By 2017 the authors estimate that the national debt will have increased another trillion dollars just because of the war.
The book and its estimates were recently presented by Mr. Stiglitz and Ms. Bilmes to the Joint Economic Committee of Congress. Now it is time for all of us to understand these costs in more detail and demand an end to this nightmare in Iraq.
The U.S. sorely needs political leadership to find the most responsible way to end this war and occupation. Recent modest security gains in sections of Iraq do not justify extending the U.S. occupation, especially when five years of occupation have not produced the political reconciliation within Iraq necessary for real security and stability. The fragile security improvements are not sustainable without a political solution, which is not forthcoming. And without a clear path to political progress, we will simply see more of the same failed strategy in the midst of bloody sectarian warfare with no end in sight. U.S. military casualties will soon reach 4,000, with another 46,000 wounded.
Further compounding this very concerning situation, Congress could also face a new Iraq policy challenge in the spring. The Bush administration seems determined to establish what in effect would be permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq before it leaves office. A cooperation agreement that the administration intends to negotiate with the Iraqi government by July 31 could include a U.S. commitment to station some 50,000 troops in Iraq indefinitely, preempting the ability of both Congress and the next president to carry out a larger draw down or a complete U.S. withdrawal.
Our first objective continues to be to gain additional support from senators and representatives who are calling for legislation mandating U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq and calling for cutting off war funding.
The Bush administration has tried its best to conceal the costs of the war in Iraq. But now, thanks to the research and hard work of these two authors we and Congress, are getting the alarming cost estimates on the Iraq war we have long been waiting for. Congress must and should put an end to this war now.
However if Congress does provide additional supplemental funding it must be persuaded to attach some key provisions. The following are the three provisions NSPI strongly recommends.
Coming up on the fifth anniversary of the invasion, a Nobel laureate now estimates that the war in Iraq is costing America $3 trillion.
That estimate from Noble Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz also serves as the title of his new book, "The Three Trillion Dollar War," The book, co-authored with Harvard University professor Linda Bilmes, builds on previous research that was published in January 2006. The book reviews the true cost of the Iraq war including continued military presence in Iraq, the future borrowing and related interest expenses on that borrowing and the lifetime health-care and counseling for veterans involved in the Iraq conflict.
The national debt has increased by some $2.5 trillion since the beginning of the war and now is over $9 trillion. Almost $1 trillion of this debt is due directly to the war itself. By 2017 the authors estimate that the national debt will have increased another trillion dollars just because of the war.
The book and its estimates were recently presented by Mr. Stiglitz and Ms. Bilmes to the Joint Economic Committee of Congress. Now it is time for all of us to understand these costs in more detail and demand an end to this nightmare in Iraq.
The U.S. sorely needs political leadership to find the most responsible way to end this war and occupation. Recent modest security gains in sections of Iraq do not justify extending the U.S. occupation, especially when five years of occupation have not produced the political reconciliation within Iraq necessary for real security and stability. The fragile security improvements are not sustainable without a political solution, which is not forthcoming. And without a clear path to political progress, we will simply see more of the same failed strategy in the midst of bloody sectarian warfare with no end in sight. U.S. military casualties will soon reach 4,000, with another 46,000 wounded.
Further compounding this very concerning situation, Congress could also face a new Iraq policy challenge in the spring. The Bush administration seems determined to establish what in effect would be permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq before it leaves office. A cooperation agreement that the administration intends to negotiate with the Iraqi government by July 31 could include a U.S. commitment to station some 50,000 troops in Iraq indefinitely, preempting the ability of both Congress and the next president to carry out a larger draw down or a complete U.S. withdrawal.
Our first objective continues to be to gain additional support from senators and representatives who are calling for legislation mandating U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq and calling for cutting off war funding.
The Bush administration has tried its best to conceal the costs of the war in Iraq. But now, thanks to the research and hard work of these two authors we and Congress, are getting the alarming cost estimates on the Iraq war we have long been waiting for. Congress must and should put an end to this war now.
However if Congress does provide additional supplemental funding it must be persuaded to attach some key provisions. The following are the three provisions NSPI strongly recommends.
NSPI believes in-depth discussions and agreements with these neighboring countries are key to ending the war and withdrawing all U.S. troops from Iraq.Approval of any future supplementary funding must include a provision that would stop the Bush Administration from establishing formal agreements with the Iraqi Government for permanent bases and long term troop commitments. Approval of any future supplementary funding must include a specific timetable for withdrawal of all American troops from Iraq and bring them home. Finally, future supplementary funding must include a mandate for inclusive regional diplomacy with Iran and Syria and other neighboring countries to Iraq.