The Effect of the Iraq War

         The Iraqi War and Post-Iraq has been in the headlines since 2003. What did we do there though by invading Iraq, and how did it affect us in general. How did it affect the Iraqi’s?

            I have made this report to show the real facts about the land that has been plagued with war and terrorism since Saddam Hussein has come to power. What did we do by beheading their government and replacing it with a pro-western government? This report is to show you as along with everybody else the real effects of this war.

            Part 1.1, What was the Economic Costs?

            The Iraqi war that lasted a long 8 years has a huge economic problem.

            When the war began, it was estimated that 14 billion dollars would be spent on the war and 10 billion dollars a month would be spent for reconstruction reasons. The truth is, this war costs the American People and the American Government 1.7 trillion dollars. This means, the average American Citizen paid single handedly on the war, 5,667 dollars on the Iraq war over the 8 years.

            That may not seem like a lot to the average taxpayer, but think about it. If you had 5,700 dollars less on your taxes this year, what would you do with that money? Would you get a new, state-of-the-art TV, or put it towards your children’s college fund? Would you finance a vacation, or use it to help pay other bills?

            Because the United States went to war with Iraq, the Average American Citizen lost 5,700 dollars in estimate, for a nation half way around the world. Truth is, you probably paid more of 10,000 dollars, though, due to the fact that some paid more and some paid less.

            These costs do not even compare of what it will be. We will be paying another 1,334 dollars for veteran’s benefits due to this war. Though 200,000 veterans are living on the streets. Is this right for our government to take our money and put to a war that means nothing, and then we pay even more money though they are 200,000 veterans living on the streets in average? Is that right?

            Part 1.2, What is our Lives Cost?

            The casualties of the Iraq war are separate. The actual fatalities of soldiers is 4486 soldiers. Dead.

            4,486 people can fill up 4 high schools. That is a lot, but can your brain process that?

            Let me put is simpler. Think of anyone in your life. 1 person.

            That has a family, job, life, hobbies, and friends. That person has money in his/her pocket, and that special trait about him/her that makes them special. Think about what they have in their house. Do they have a wife, or are they single. Who cares about them? You, apparently. Who else though? Many more probably care about this guy or girl at least. Truth is, think about this person being dead.

            How much pain and grief, and hell you would go through, almost crying and outright sadness? If this person had a family of two, all the casualties in the Iraq war could bring a medium-sized town to tears. 15,000 people lose a loved one.  Think about 4,486 of those people no longer able to share their brightness and bravery and leadership to the rest of the world.

            4,486 people who will never see their loved one’s again.

            The casualties that were wounded are even worse. 32,000 injuries during this war. That is 32,000 people who somehow in war lost either a limb or damaged a limb. Just United States soldiers.

            A number like that cannot be imagined by our brains. That same person who you thought of before. Think about if he/she if they lost a leg. How much pain and trouble not only you would have but also them. Think about their favorite sport. They could never play it again, normally.

            This is simply wrong, to take 32,000 people and injure them…

            Think about the Iraqi side. They lost 37,000 combatants during this war. Even though you are probably American, think about it. 37,000 people dead. That is 8 times the US troops that were killed.

            People do seem to forget the casualties for the losing side. Like the famous quote says, “History is written by the conqueror’s.”.

            We seem to forget as a nation, that a number is very important. Remember that one person? Think about it if you have been oppressed your entire life, and then the forces that supposing is to help you, kill this person in your life. Do you truly think that by killing another man from Iraq it is any different than killing a man from America?

            If that number does not clock in anybody’s brains, think of this. 2,726 people have died in the WTC attacks. 17 Americans died from terrorist attacks last year. 134,000 Iraqi Civilians died in the 8 year war.

            Think of that number long… What you as along with everybody forget, that is the size of Warren, Michigan. The third largest city in Michigan. All of those innocent civilians, that did little wrong, are now dead at the hands of Insurgents in Iraq, Americans, and Al-Qaeda.

            That is a number that very few of us can forget. In my opinion, us as Americans were not responsible for the 1/5 of murders of civilians during this time, but I know we caused quite a few deaths. That does not need to be stated on a source page. That should just be known.

            Part 1.3, What is our Physiological Costs?

            This has been publicized for many years. What did we do to the uninjured soldiers who saw what Americans watching TV never saw? What kind of affect does that have on them?

            PTSD, or Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder. This mental disease is affecting many veterans when they come home. 31 percent of soldiers coming from Iraq have PTSD or depression, or sadness.

            If you see that 2 million troops have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, during since 9-11, you could take half and say that 1 million US soldiers were deployed to Iraq. The consequence. Out of those 1 million soldiers, 310,000 soldiers are coming back with PTSD or depression. 140,000 have this majorly affecting their normal lives.

            The consequences are deadly, not just to the physical self, but also the brain.

            Part 1.3, What is Iraq’s Long Term Effects?

            Iraq may had been our enemy, but what we did there was truly disgusting. What we did is use Depleted Uranium shells and white phosphorus shells in combat.

            For example, the amount of birth defects in Iraq in the past decade in Al Basarah Hospital has experienced 17 times the amount of birth defects with babies. The number was 23 per thousand when the US forces invaded. Now, it is 391 per thousand (or 39%, which is nearly half the amount of babies being born…)

            Depleted Uranium is a military shell that is meant to penetrate enemy armor, and only has recently been used by soldiers (Gulf War was the first time it was used). Ever since, these shells have been used on a massive scale, but the bullets and tank shells are still radioactive.

            White Phosphorus is a chemical that is a waxy solid that burns easily. This chemical is very dangerous, and was used as a marker. White Phosphorus was used in Fallujah.

            Iraq had many issues, but these are truly terrible.

            Part 1.4, Closing

            They are many other effects of the Iraqi War, but they are not so public. They are more private in American families and Iraqi families, like the fact that 349 soldiers committed suicide last year (Most likely due to combat PTSD or major depression).

            The fact that they are more than 2 million widows in Iraq.

            These families were heavily affected, and so are our families here in the home front. This is not a game, the Iraq War, if anyone could ever conceive it that way (Which I would be truly ashamed if you conceived the Iraq War as a game or a joke).

            I know this report sounds heavily anti-war, but it is not. I gave you the straight out facts, with a little amount of personal comments about the terror of this. If facts are not for you, than deal with it, because these are facts, and if you want, you can PM this page and I will give you every source I got this information from.

            Thank you for your time, and have a good night! Pray for the Americans who were affected as well as the poor Iraqi affected from this terrible war!