Five years ago, members of the American armed forces first stepped onto Iraqi soil to begin a war originally intended to ward off potential terrorist attacks and to find hidden weapons of mass destruction. Five years later, 4,000 American troops have died with over 29,000 wounded, nearly 90,000 documented Iraqi civilian deaths and 300 other deaths from the countries that originally came to America's aid - many of which have now left the area.
Of the 4,000 American troops, 145 of them died of self-inflicted wounds. To tack a cost onto this war would be nearly impossible, for not only would we have to calculate what we have spent on troops, supplies, transportation and other military expenses, but basic economics demand that we factor in the change in economic status for American businesses and corporations, the international status of the American dollar and the rising taxes and costs of living (such as oil) to the average American citizen. According to the National Priorities Project, we the taxpayers have spent over $500 billion, while other estimates go into the trillions of dollars when they are combined with federal spending, as shown by a recent New York Times article.
Exact numbers are irrelevant at this point, as we don't typically deal with numbers in the billions and trillions in everyday life. Rather, the end result stays the same - we've spent countless taxpayer dollars, lives and time and we've even sold away our integrity (at least in the eyes of the international community, for whatever that is worth). But we've yet to see enough concrete, reliable evidence that this has not yet been a waste. True, security in Baghdad has risen significantly in the past year (by over 60 percent), and Saddam Hussein, a recognized threat (who, as we all know, was equipped and counseled by America in the first place) has now been eliminated.
But still, whether you are a staunch conservative or a flaming liberal, Americans on every end of the political spectrum have begun to doubt the credibility of the War in Iraq. In fact, it was during this war that, when the general state of the American economy was that of a recession (how major or minor has yet to be seen, as we are still receding), Exxon Mobil made over $100 billion in sales in one quarter, as barrels of oil have more than quintupled in price, going from $20 per barrel to over $100 (some estimates show over $120). We have also placed over 100,000 different contractors in Iraq, though not without cost, as over 1,000 have died to a variety of bombings and shootings.
As readers, I'm sure you're wondering where I'm going with this - a jumble of facts and phrases that may (or may not be) well known or at least readily available, to many if not all of the American public, filled with parenthetical statements ultimately leading nowhere - yet. I have carefully drafted this piece to be in no way accusatory, offensive, or aggressive toward any person, group of persons, or political, socio-economic or moral affiliations or beliefs, nor did I wish to make unwarranted generalizations. Instead, I merely wish to draw attention to the extreme and rather drastic measures that have been taken for this war meant to benefit and protect American citizens.
Last April 18, a group of students, myself included, worked with faculty and staff on the Tufts campus to create a Walk Out on the War, a day of non-violent opposition combined with a teach-in, where speakers from several organizations spoke about the war in their respective fields of specialty. Although we did not plan for another day (that would seem rather pessimistic to our vision, though more realistic), we will be holding a very small version of the same event this semester.
We invite you to join us tomorrow to reflect on the fifth anniversary of the war and the now 4,000 released deaths. The gathering will take place on the Tisch Library roof at 11:30 a.m. and end at noon and will feature an Iraqi war veteran as a speaker, followed by a brief, moderated discussion and concluding with a minute of silent meditation. If you have a class that ends at 11:45, we invite you to leave 15 minutes early to join us in a small, silent act of protest - after all, many of you probably have skipped an entire class before for a much lesser cause than this. Faculty, staff and students of any and all political affiliations are welcome and encouraged to attend. However, we ask that you remember the purpose of this event and use your best discretion.
And yes, donuts and coffee will be provided.
Kris Coombs is a junior majoring in international relations and peace and justice studies.
