The fourth year anniversary of the war in IRAQ, your opinion.?

Skeptic

1. To date the cost has been about:
$409,702,160,000.00
http://costofwar.com/index-public-education.html

$2 Billion per week according to congress...
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2006/09/28/cost_of_iraq_war_nearly_2b_a_week/

2. This is a trick question. We are not at war despite what you hear on TV and radio and read in the press. We invaded two countries and now occupy them. The occupation is unethical because the US intent is to a game to control the Middle East not bring freedom and democracy. The cost of oil is on a steep increase. Query "Peak Oil"

3. The next step for citizens is to get educated about the truth of 9/11 and how it was used to gain popular support for the attack and occupation of the Middle East. Query: "911 Truth"

The US needs to stop its illegal and immoral approach to dominating the world economy.

squeegie

don't know by the week but we must be topping $500 billion total
unethical if it was based on lies and hidden agendas
get out (but we will be leaving a mess) so that's a tough one

Dig in!

It had been about $2 billion per week, but now Bush wants more money.

Unethical.

Move our troops about 100 miles away from the hots spots and tell that corrupt Iraqi government to take care of their own police work.

roydono

A big waste of time , manpower and resources. Managed by an incompetent military command and clueless civilians who never served in uniform

I'm sorry but maybe you didn't hear Mr.Bush, "Mission accomplished!" It's not a war it's now defending Iraq. But to answer your question:

1) 1.8 billion a week
2) Very Ethical. Defending someones freedom is the right thing to do...
3) Iraq needs to vote to become a state or get out (gradually), letting them handle it.

BeachBum

1. I heard it will hit a trillion in 2008

2. unethical

3. Do as Kucinich says and organize an international peace keeping force to replace our troops. We technically won after being there only 6 months. Now, all we are doing is policing...

meathookcook

Thanks for the actually balanced question.

1) Probably too much and I would like to see it decrease, but not at the detriment to the troops or the mission.
2) Saddam was a tyrannical Dictator who murdered and oppressed his own people so I would say ethical. But by that reasoning we should od something about the conflicts in Africa as well.
3) The next step is preparing the freely elected Iraqi government to protect its own country and getting our people home. Plain and simple.

larmarine83

I dont know, but I would hazard between 2 - 5 Million a week we spend.

I personally believe it is ethical. I spent time in Iraq with the Marines during the intial invasion of the country in 2003. People were happy to see us, and they were thankful, I know this because I was there, I remember, and I will never forget the hell some of those good people were living in.

I think we should begin to put more pressure on the Iraqi Military and Security police forces to take a more active role, thow them into it, dont wait for them to be ready. Take Baghdad by force, street by stree, house by house, secure and hold it, and hand it over to the Iraqi Police and military. I can see this taking 3 years or more to do. Freedom is not free, and many men and womenhave shed their blood as a sacrafice so that others may live to know a tase of freedom. I dont see a quick end to this war, we couldn't have expected it, you dont start a war to back out when it gets unpopular or ugly. People die, bad things happen, but thats why its called war.

Governor Boggs

1) Not costing a dime (will eventually be paid for by Iraqi oil revenue)
2) Is a state sponsored armed robbery of another states natural resources , but ethical because the "Law of the Jungle" is the only law in effect here. Strong rob weak.
3) U.S. Better watch their backs because eventually the rest of the Jungle will smell the fresh kill and try to move in and steal it.

Christopher S

1.I guess aprox, three million.

2. Unethical, Immoral , unchristian.

3. Except the facts, offer the World an apology after we apologize to the Arab's.
Then ask the Arab nations to help us make reparations and withdraw as soon as they the Arab nations say they are comfortable with taking back their own land and family problems.

Someone

1. We have spent HALF A TRILLON DOLLARS on this war and have sacrificed over 3200 Men and Women

2. This war is not ethical we need to put a stop to this, and be the voice of the troops and BRING THEM HOME NOW!

3. For the next step we should elect someone who knows what to do (Nancy Pelosi), we need to do this by supporting the impeachment of Bush and Cheney and put Nancy Pelosi in POWER and see what she can do! Bush has no Plan OUT!

bwlobo

How much money are we spending? about 2 million a week...but read "The rest of the story!"

Is the war ethical or unethical? It is a 'just' war...but read "The rest of the story!"

What should be the next step for us... find your answer at the end of "The rest of the story:

THE REST OF THE STORY!.....................

Did you know that 47 countries' have reestablished their embassies in Iraq?

Did you know that the Iraqi government currently employs 1.2 million Iraqi people?

Did you know that 3100 schools have been renovated, 364 schools are under rehabilitation, 263 new schools are now under construction and 38 new schools have been completed in Iraq?

Did you know that Iraq's higher educational structure consists of 20 Universities, 46 Institutes or colleges and 4 research centers, all currently operating?

Did you know that 25 Iraq students departed for the United States in January 2005 for the re-established Fulbright program?

Did you know that the Iraqi Navy is operational? They have 5 - 100-foot patrol craft, 34 smaller vessels and a naval infantry regiment.

Did you know that Iraq's Air Force consists of three operational squadrons, which includes 9 reconnaissance and 3 US C-130 transport aircraft (under Iraqi operational control) which operate day and night, and will soon add 16 UH-1 helicopters and 4 Bell Jet Rangers?

Did you know that Iraq has a counter-terrorist unit and a Commando Battalion?

Did you know that the Iraqi Police Service has over 55,000
fully trained and equipped police officers?

Did you know that there are 5 Police Academies in Iraq that produce over 3500 new officers each 8 weeks?

Did you know there are more than 1100 building projects going on in Iraq?

They include 364 schools, 67 public clinics, 15 hospitals, 83 railroad stations, 22 oil facilities, 93 water facilities and 69 electrical facilities.

Did you know that 96% of Iraqi children under the age of 5 have received the first 2 series of polio vaccinations?

Did you know that 4.3 million Iraqi children were enrolled in primary school by mid October?

Did you know that there are 1,192,000 cell phone subscribers in Iraq and phone use has gone up 158%?

Did you know that Iraq has an independent media that consists of 75 radio stations, 180 newspapers and 10 television stations?

Did you know that the Baghdad Stock Exchange opened in June of 2004?

Did you know that 2 candidates in the Iraqi presidential election had a televised debate recently?

OF COURSE WE DIDN'T KNOW! WHY DIDN'T WE KNOW? OUR MEDIA WOULDN'T TELL US!

Instead of reflecting our love for our country, we get photos of flag burning incidents at Abu Ghraib and people throwing things at the presidential motorcades.

Tragically, the lack of accentuating the positive in Iraq serves two purposes: (1) It is intended to undermine the world's perception of the United States thus minimizing consequent support, and (2) it is intended to discourage American citizens.

The next step.... I agree with Newt Gingrich, who thinks the United States needs to train the Iraqis as rapidly as possible and "pull back" from the cities to bases and air fields and serve as reinforcers as opposed to occupiers (this position is outlined in WSJ 4/11/2007 as the official policy).

It's been four years too many

nizE

1) too much for the wrong purpose..should be use to fight against AIDS or poverty in Africa..could reach to trillions of dollars..

2) ethical at first but since the incident in Abu Gharaib prison..the soldiers need a psychiatrist..the war is not normal..where a nation fights a nation..its mental

3) get out of there fast..either win or lose..its hurting US images throughout the world..because this is turning out to be a 2nd Vietnam..

plezurgui

The war in Iraq is cheap by the standards set in other wars. There were numerous battles fought during World War 2 which killed many more of our soldiers than this entire war has cost. Of course, I would prefer that NONE of our troops were killed. It is terrible waste of wonderful young men and women. I think I would have just dropped a nuke or two if it had been my decision.
I think this war has demonstrated the moral, ethical, and intellectual bankruptcy of the Democratic Party and Liberals in general.
Maybe we did go to war on bad information, but Saddam surely did act like a man that had to be stopped. Now that we are there, to leave would be unconscionable since hundreds of thousands or even millions of Iraqis would die. Much the same way that 1.7 million Cambodians died as a result of the Democrats abandoning the war in SE Asia.

Jacob W

1) Don't know what the exact amount is. But defense it one of the only things the federal government is supposed to be spending money on.

2)Ethical is an odd choice of words but yes, it is ethical.

3)Support the newly elected government of Iraq. Keep pressure on the terrorists and all who dare support them in every possible way.
Dispel any doubt in the minds of our enemy that we have the heart and the will to stay until the job is done.

SGT T

1. a lot-but not even a fraction of what has been spent on the Drug War/Gang Wars/Rebuilding of New Orleans...etc..etc.

2. ethical and violent.

3. Get out when the acceptable level of crime and violence is achieved.

Politically Wrong

Money ....maybe 1mill a week...I dont really know
Ethical? Absolutely...we are protecting ourselves and others, along wih aiding an oppressed country
Next Step....Stay the course till VICTORY is achieved

FRAGINAL-NOYPI

1. Lots of money is spent every week,
2. The war is ethical since it is not invalidated by Congress,
3. Order must be established so that the troops can return.

cantcu

5 Billion a month, which is 1.25 Billion a week, or 125 million!

(THIS IS 1 year OLD!)
If Congress approves the $71 billion emergency supplemental to pay for the ongoing cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the new total for the war expenses will be $439 billion, according to a new report released on April 24 by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). For the war in Iraq, $320 billion will have been spent; $89 billion for Afghanistan, and $26 billion will have gone toward enhanced security, including combat air patrols, in and over the United Sates.

The Department of Defense (DOD) estimates its â€œburn rateâ€ of monthly expenses at $6.4 billion in Iraq and $1.3 billion in Afghanistan. CRS points out that DOD did not include the cost of replacing worn out equipment and upgrades to facilities in theater. Adding those and a few other costs calculates to a monthly â€œburn rateâ€ of $8.1 billion in Iraq; $1.6 billion in Afghanistan, and a total burn rate of $9.9 billion per month.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has made projections for possible future costs. That agency projects total additional costs of $371 billion for the years 2007 to 2016, making a grand total of $811 billion. (This CBO estimate assumes an almost immediate downturn in annual war costs; however, it is questionable whether we have crossed that peak.)

DODâ€™s accounting methods continue to be problematic. The $7.1 billion that CRS reported earlier it could â€œnot trackâ€ continues to go untracked. It appears that CRS found another $4 billion that it could â€œnot trackâ€ .

Furthermore, DODâ€™s reports on war costs are incomplete and â€œunderstate expenses by over $20 billion because DODâ€™s financial system for tracking war costs has excluded certain types of expensesâ€.

DOD also refuses to provide any comprehensive estimate for the costs to replace and repair all worn out equipment.

There has been discussion of an â€œin-houseâ€ Army estimate of its â€œresetâ€ costs at $36 billion; the Marine Corps has estimated $11.7 billion for themselves. However, these estimates do not appear to be comprehensive.

Public estimates of the number of troops deployed for Iraq do not always include those performing support in Kuwait and elsewhere in the region. CRS estimates total troop deployments for Operation Iraqi Freedom in September 2005 to be 260,000.

Average per troop costs for Iraq are between $355,000 and $360,000 per individual, per year; this dollar amount has been increasing since 2003.

Winslow T. Wheeler is the author of The Wastrels of Defense.

The war has always been unethical and illegal!

An orderly withdraw is the next step. We don't need permanent bases and we don't need to fight their civil war, which we started. In Vietnam we knew exactly what was going to happen to the South Vietnamese and Nixon didn't seem to mind. Of course, that war involved communist and not oil!

The current fight is a squabble among themselves, though we have a clear perspective on who we want to rule! A Democracy? No, I don't think so! And it never will be!

Iraqi's think they were better off under Saddam Hussein and they don't want us there!

"Only 18 percent of Iraqis have confidence in U.S. and coalition troops, and 86 percent are concerned that someone in their household will be a victim of violence.
_Slightly more than half of Iraqis â€” 51 percent â€” now say that violence against U.S. forces is acceptable â€” up from 17 percent who felt that way in early 2004. More than nine in 10 Sunni Arabs in Iraq now feel this way.
_While 63 percent said they felt very safe in their neighborhoods in late 2005, only 26 percent feel that way now.
The survey was done by D3 Systems, a pollster specializing in conflict countries.
Iraqi civilian deaths are estimated at more than 54,000, possibly much higher. More than half of Iraqis surveyed said a friend or relative has been hurt or killed in the violence, while almost nine in 10 worried that a loved one will be hurt.
The levels of stress soar outside relatively peaceful Kurdistan, especially in Baghdad and the Sunni-dominated Anbar province, the poll found.
Fewer than half in the country, 42 percent, said that life in Iraq now is better than it was under Saddam Hussein, the late dictator accused of murdering tens of thousands during a brutal regime.
Iraqis pessimism about safety spills over into their views of most aspects of life â€” the economy, basic needs like power and clean water, even the risks of sending their children to school.
But views of the U.S. military presence are contradictory among Iraqis â€” just as they are in this country.
About four in five Iraqis oppose the presence of U.S. troops but only a third want those U.S. troops to leave Iraq immediately."_AP

Sheepdog

(1) Way too much money.

(2) The war is ethical. The way it's being waged is NOT.

(3) Let's hurry up and WIN this thing, already. It's way past time to take the gloves off.

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