As promised by President Obama in late October, the last of U.S. troops exited Iraq at the end of 2011. With the United States’ withdrawal complete, Americans everywhere should celebrate the homecoming of our armed forces, and be truly grateful for their service. Deployments are hard and the time away from families can make them even harder. I am happy to see all of the soldiers back, and am also pleased to hear about Obama’s plan to draw down numbers in Afghanistan. These wars have decimated our economy, and will cost taxpayers for years to come.
Just like items bought at the store, soldiers, tanks, guns and all other military necessities come with a price that Americans must pay for. According to a recent article by U.S. News, the last finding by the Congressional Research Service shows the war has cost $806 billion. Coupled with the cost of long-term veterans care and the Afghanistan war, the cost of our conflicts are staggering, and the amount of money is hard to fathom. Some researchers believe that the wars will end up costing our government roughly $3 trillion. The Center for Budget and Policy stated in the article that they estimate in 2019, the economic effects of the wars will account for nearly half of the projected $20 trillion debt.
In addition to the severe economic repercussions of the war, many Americans are left with questions about the wisdom of the U.S. invasion into Iraq. The emotional toll that 6,361 American families must deal with is saddening, and with Afghanistan still ongoing the number will continue to rise.
The latest reports have the United States casualties in Afghanistan at 1,875 soldiers. Insurgent deaths are unclear, but the United Nations reported in July that in the first six months of 2011, 1,462 non combatant civilians had been killed. Nearly 80 percent of the deaths have been attributed to insurgents. Violence continues, but a drawdown is planned, and 33,000 troops are scheduled to be pulled out by the end of 2012. One can only hope that, with the death of Osama bin Laden, the U.S. government has viewed its tasks completed and is beginning to plan an end to their Afghanistan incursion.
The Iraq war resulted in the deaths of nearly 4,500 U.S. troops, and an estimated 55,000 enemy casualties. Civilian deaths have been compiled as well, and add another grisly facet to the war that is rarely thought of: collateral damage. According to iraqbodycount.org, a website which tallies documented deaths between 104,687 and 114,687 Iraqi civilians have been killed since the start of the war. The loss of U.S. life alone is enough justification to be angry at the United States government for allowing a nine year campaign to begin and continue for nearly a decade, but coupled with the massive civilian losses and a huge price tag, American citizens should be demanding answers for why we were really in Iraq.
As for me, the economic hardship that I may have to endure in the future is nothing in comparison when I think of the people who sacrificed their lives. In my mind, neither war has been completely justifiable. A covert SEAL operation put an effective end to Osama bin Laden in Pakistan, which didn’t require over 100,000 pairs of boots on the ground. He was the reason for the war in Afghanistan, at least according to the Bush administration.
As for the war in Iraq, having actually been there stings deeply for me, and I want to hear the real answers for why we were there. Weapons of mass destruction were nonexistent, and although the Saddam regime was corrupt and tyrannical, they were not a threat to the U.S. The theories are endless: oil, revenge for daddy, defense spending, strategic positions in the region, WMDs, proximity to Iran, the reasons go on and on. Bush has never come out with a direct answer, and what he has said has never satisfied anyone. I want a justification for both wars, but Iraq particularly interests me because while 9/11 is a good enough reason, fake WMD’s are not.
While deployed, I lost people that I personally knew. I want to know why, for their families, their wives and girlfriends and mothers. Their fathers and brothers deserve to know why we embarked in a massive nine year military endeavor. I cannot imagine what questions are left with the families of fallen soldiers. My service in the military and in Iraq has left me with innumerable questions, and I hope that someday the war in Iraq will be fully explained. I sacrificed quite a bit, but nowhere near the ultimate sacrifice that was made by so many of our country’s men and women. Our troops coming home is great news, but I believe it is only the first step towards true closure to the Iraq war. Without a valid explanation, I will have questions that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
David Adams can be reached at dadams@spartans.ut.edu.