First, the horrible numbers three years later American soldiers are still fighting and dying in Iraq. Over 2300 have died, tens of thousands of soldiers seriously wounded and it’s likely that over 40,000 Iraqi civilians have been killed. Over 10 times the number of human life lost on 9/11. Meanwhile Bush’s response whose poll numbers are Warren Harding like, is to stay the course, whatever, that course may be. Can anyone articulate what the mission in Iraq is now? Can anyone name the previous reasons for attacking Iraq? One wonders as time and the years go on whether each year there will be a new reason articulated as to why the United States invaded Iraq. Jeopardy 2010:
“Alex I will take reasons for invading Iraq for $1000”
“Here is the answer, weapons of mass destruction”
“What is the first reason of invading Iraq?”
“That is correct!!!”
Let’s run down some of the list of reasons: Weapons of mass destruction? Iraq and 9/11? Freedom? Democracy? A front on the war on terror? The reasons for war do not matter, as the “Downing Street” memos indicated the Bush administration intended to fix the intelligence around the fact they wanted to invade Iraq.

Three years later the mission in Iraq appears as muddled and unclear as the reasons to go to Iraq remain. The threat of civil war is clear. The war is financially draining the U.S. from investing in programs from education and healthcare. The economy though improving will continue to run budget deficits as far as the eye can see. Bush after inheriting a surplus and robust economy has gutted it to record deficits record trade deficits, record national debt. The war has cost approximately $250 billion dollars of your hard earned money, $350 billion according to the think tank Brookings Institute. According to NationalPriorities.org that amount could have funded world Anti-hunger efforts for 10 years, took care of health care for over 100 million kids, hired approximately 4 million teachers, fully fund world aids programs for 24 years.

According to that reliable source Wikipedia, Iraq spelled backwards is Qari an Arabic word meaning reader, one who recites the Quran with a sort of recitation rule. Ironic actually because Iraq either spelled forward or backwards, if it stays together at all, will likely become an Islamic republic. The job market for Qurra (plural) will be great. Maybe Iraqis can outsource this to Iran.

The first decade of the 21st century continues as the last war for the sake of war itself. The reasons for war don’t matter and victory is never apparent as a nation’s ability to make war is the foundation upon which the global capitalist economy has run since the great depression. Until the masses stand up and put an end to it money that could be spent toward social and humane purposes will continue to go towards the destruction of human life whether its Iraq, Sudan, Burma or Iran. One seeking an end to this cycle doesn’t have to go to a rally, peace vigil or protest (which can be effective) one can act by simply voting out the people responsible for these irresponsible policies that under universal law are bound to be mutually destructive.