War Bulletin 5-15-2004
War Bulletin 5-15-04
It is important that we determine what it is costing us to operate the war in Iraq. We need to know what we are paying out and what benefits we are getting in return. The account ledger needs to show the items included in the expenditures—money spent, future obligations assumed, material consumed or misplaced, lives lost and injuries suffered by our service personnel. A separate item should show amounts paid or obligations assumed for operations of Independent Contractors employed in the repair or replacement of property we have destroyed The credit side of the ledger should include the fact that Saddam Hussein has been deposed and will stand trial for his misdeeds and criminal acts during his tenure as dictator of the nation.
With a moderate amount of research the money spent for the materials and repair costs can, and will, be ascertained. Cost for the treatment and care for the bodies of our servicemen can be estimated but can’t be accurately determined for a long time. But, in time, these kinds of costs will be revealed, and the people hearing the figures will be shocked.
The unfortunate part of this story is that this proposed ledger cannot show the intangible costs which may well be greater that the physical and monetary costs. I don’t know how one can enter into a ledger the loss of a body part or function that forces a victim to change his lifestyle and occupational ambitions. Such losses also inflict an immeasurable cost on the victim’s wife and children which someway should be entered in the war cost ledger.
How shall will we measure the cost of the death of tens of thousands of innocent civilians and injuries of other thousands in Iraq? Who can tell us what it is going to cost us to lose the faith and confidence of the friendly nations of the world. What will be the cost of Mr. Bush’s telling the world that we have a pre-emptive right to make war on any nation that we feel is an enemy that may cause harm to us or our allies? How are we to determine the cost of belittling the United Nations and insulting our former friends and allies who disagreed with the Bush push to war with Iraq?
Difficult as it may be to quantify, there will surely be a cost assessed against us for the mistreatment of prisoners held by us in Cuba and Iraq through our disregard of the Geneva Conventions. The cost of these actions will be borne by our citizens who become prisoners in the future. Also an item of uncertain cost will be the boost to the ability of our enemies around the world in their recruitment of volunteers to fight us or blow themselves up in their killing of our citizens or friends.
Government agencies of several past administrations spent much money and energy in building goodwill through activities of the Marshall Plan, Peace Corps and many other agencies. This treasure of goodwill has been squandered or severely depleted by an unjustified war on a nation that posed little threat to us. This loss of goodwill and respect may not appear in our ledger of war cost, but it will surely be reflected in our Trade Balance deficits and around conference tables for years to come.
While we have been enjoying the luxury of being the only Super Power in the world we have, by this war, forfeited our position of responsibility and leadership and assumed the role of World Bully. The cost of this role change will not be ascertainable for many years, but it is an undeniable cost that will be included in the many other costs to be suffered by us and several of our future generations.
Finally, there is a cost that has no measure, but must be included in the consideration of the war’s cost. I refer to the demeaning of the pride and spirit of the people of the United States. This stain of the Iraqi war will reveal itself in subtle and unexpected ways in our families, in schools, churches and businesses. We may not wish to dwell on the subject, but deep down in our soul we will feel it and be ashamed.
Jerry Clements 5/15/04
It is important that we determine what it is costing us to operate the war in Iraq. We need to know what we are paying out and what benefits we are getting in return. The account ledger needs to show the items included in the expenditures—money spent, future obligations assumed, material consumed or misplaced, lives lost and injuries suffered by our service personnel. A separate item should show amounts paid or obligations assumed for operations of Independent Contractors employed in the repair or replacement of property we have destroyed The credit side of the ledger should include the fact that Saddam Hussein has been deposed and will stand trial for his misdeeds and criminal acts during his tenure as dictator of the nation.
With a moderate amount of research the money spent for the materials and repair costs can, and will, be ascertained. Cost for the treatment and care for the bodies of our servicemen can be estimated but can’t be accurately determined for a long time. But, in time, these kinds of costs will be revealed, and the people hearing the figures will be shocked.
The unfortunate part of this story is that this proposed ledger cannot show the intangible costs which may well be greater that the physical and monetary costs. I don’t know how one can enter into a ledger the loss of a body part or function that forces a victim to change his lifestyle and occupational ambitions. Such losses also inflict an immeasurable cost on the victim’s wife and children which someway should be entered in the war cost ledger.
How shall will we measure the cost of the death of tens of thousands of innocent civilians and injuries of other thousands in Iraq? Who can tell us what it is going to cost us to lose the faith and confidence of the friendly nations of the world. What will be the cost of Mr. Bush’s telling the world that we have a pre-emptive right to make war on any nation that we feel is an enemy that may cause harm to us or our allies? How are we to determine the cost of belittling the United Nations and insulting our former friends and allies who disagreed with the Bush push to war with Iraq?
Difficult as it may be to quantify, there will surely be a cost assessed against us for the mistreatment of prisoners held by us in Cuba and Iraq through our disregard of the Geneva Conventions. The cost of these actions will be borne by our citizens who become prisoners in the future. Also an item of uncertain cost will be the boost to the ability of our enemies around the world in their recruitment of volunteers to fight us or blow themselves up in their killing of our citizens or friends.
Government agencies of several past administrations spent much money and energy in building goodwill through activities of the Marshall Plan, Peace Corps and many other agencies. This treasure of goodwill has been squandered or severely depleted by an unjustified war on a nation that posed little threat to us. This loss of goodwill and respect may not appear in our ledger of war cost, but it will surely be reflected in our Trade Balance deficits and around conference tables for years to come.
While we have been enjoying the luxury of being the only Super Power in the world we have, by this war, forfeited our position of responsibility and leadership and assumed the role of World Bully. The cost of this role change will not be ascertainable for many years, but it is an undeniable cost that will be included in the many other costs to be suffered by us and several of our future generations.
Finally, there is a cost that has no measure, but must be included in the consideration of the war’s cost. I refer to the demeaning of the pride and spirit of the people of the United States. This stain of the Iraqi war will reveal itself in subtle and unexpected ways in our families, in schools, churches and businesses. We may not wish to dwell on the subject, but deep down in our soul we will feel it and be ashamed.
Jerry Clements 5/15/04
posted by Jeremiah | 9:54 PM
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