Most of the 9/11 terrorists came from our ally Saudi Arabia and held citizenship there. Since then oil has gone from $27 a barrel to $50 a barrel.
We invade Afghanistan to attack the taliban/terrorists. Since then the poppy fields are allowed to flourish and heroin flows freely again.
We invade Irag to destroy WMD’s that don’t exist. The cost for the war in American lives and money is ridiculous. The population of the United States is approximately 296,330,550 so each citizen’s share of our increasing national debt is $26,334.67. and yet we continue to spend more to support the war effort.
Comrade, why are you listening to the lies of the liberal communist media? You will stop questioning our leaders if you know what’s good for you. Remember: Freedom is on the march! That’s all you need to know. Look! Over there! A pretty white girl is missing. I bet some darkie took her!
Your points are idiotic - saw on TV last night people were bitching about the “cost” of WWII also…freedom is NOT free, and the fact is less people have died in Iraq over 10 years than in 10 minutes at Normandy…
Your first two points aren’t even worth debating. Your third point is dishonest as you try to link the cost of the war as the main reason for the growing debt. Yes wars cost money and this one is no different. If you look throughout history you will find this out. Below is information on the cost of our biggest conflicts. Although no data exists yet on the GWOT I would make the argument it will be a far cry from some of our most expensive wars. As a % of cost to individuals we are not even close. Read this article http://www.csmonitor.com/2001/1030/p2s2-usec.html
Financial CostConflict Cost in $ Billions Per Capita Current 1990s (in $1990) The Revolution (1775-1783) .10 1.2 $ 342.86War of 1812 (1812-1815) .09 0.7 92.11Mexican War (1846-1848) .07 1.1 52.13Civil War (1861-1865): Union 3.20 27.3 1,041.98 : Confederate 2.00 17.1 2,111.11 : Combined 5.20 44.4 1,294.46Spanish American War (1898) .40 6.3 84.45World War I (1917-1918) 26.00 196.5 1,911.47World War II (1941-1945) 288.00 2,091.3 15,655.17Korea (1950-1953) 54.00 263.9 1,739.62Vietnam (1964-1972) 111.00 346.7 1,692.04Gulf War (1990-1991) 61.00 61.1 235.00
The table compares the cost of America’s principal wars since 1775 on the basis of then current and 1990s dollars. Current dollars are the actual numbers spent at the time. Thus, a 1775-1783 dollar had the equivalent purchasing power of $10.75 in 1990s terms. Actually this conversion is only a very rough guide, but at least gives some idea of the relative costs of the ten wars on an adjusted basis. However, it is not possible to take into account drastic changes in social structure (most Americans were farmers in 1775, and didn’t use much money), and the increasing affluence of American society over the two centuries covered by the table.
Note that the figures are for direct costs only, omitting pension costs, which tended to triple the ultimate outlays. The table also omits the cost of damage to the national infrastructure during those wars waged on American soil. Confederate figures are estimated.
For the Gulf War it is worth noting that various members of the allied coalition reimbursed the U.S. for 88-percent ($54 billion) of the amount shown, so the actual cost to the taxpayer was only about $7 billion, roughly the same as for the Spanish-American War, and on a per capita basis only $26.92, arguably the least expensive war in the nation’s history.
Yes, we shouldn’t forget that Iraq was a member of the axis of evil. Saddam was just getting ready to invade Poland & France wasn’t he? Its a good thing we went in their to prevent him launching a dual front campaign, ala Germany in WW2, with his WMDs.
Hussein was compared to the likes of Hitler and Stalin in his ruthless reign of terror that killed millions of people. The only “red kool aid” being served was the blood on Saddams hands for which he innocently tortured and killed.
The world is better with him out of power. For that reason alone we’re justified in our actions.
But then what…“Hello Iraqis…Saddam is in our custody…y’all can search for your countries billions of dollars (in US funds at that) that he hid…you have no govt, police, army, anything…have a nice day”
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Perhaps “Here are our brave soldiers that came to protect you and help instill democracy. Please feel free to kill/maim them while we waste millions of $$$ on repairing your country just to watch it fall into a civil war which we will inevitably flee” suits you better?
What is “it”…we dont know…hell, we didnt know that mold would fight infection at one time…didnt know that candle soot would have the best lubricant on earth in it either…didnt know that it was safe to go faster than 60mph and still breath at one time. There are allot of unknowns, and things to discover. People die…I dont think that in the entire time humans have been running around this planet that there was not a war somewhere over something…that is our nature. Does not bother me at all…
Your points are idiotic - saw on TV last night people were bitching about the “cost” of WWII also…freedom is NOT free, and the fact is less people have died in Iraq over 10 years than in 10 minutes at Normandy…
Freedom is not free??? since when did anyone in Iraq threaten our freedom??? And if we are now the world leaders in promoting freedomw why didn’t we invade Saudi Arabia instead of Iraq…Iraq was just about the only secular country in the region where people were not bound by stringent Islamic law. In Saudi our allies won’t even allow women the freedom to drive a car…they’d get executed for riding a bike!!! When to we start spreading freedo there???
And what about our other great ally in the war for freedom, Pakistan…the country that ordered the gang rape of a young woman to punish her younger brother for having sex out of marriage. when do we start spreading freedom there???
Do you really believe this war is about freedom??? you don’t sound like a stupid person, but that is one really dumb comment to make in this context. This war has diddly squat to do with freedom.
It has much to do with freedom. If you would pull your head out for a second you could see the reverberations of what is going on in the Middle East with regard to elections and womens rights. The Saudi have begun, albeit a long ways off, to allow for a level of democracy, Kuwaiti’s are opening their parliment up for female representatives, Egypt just held fairly legitamite elections, and Qatar is on the cutting edge of free press and womens rights reforms within a muslim context. This will take time but the path to freedom in many of these countries has more definition now than it ever did and it is a credit to our influence. I spend a great deal of time doing business in the middle east and the changes are palpable and unseen heretofore.
C’mon Al, if we’re on a freedom crusade why aren’t we invading the most repressive countries…like Saudi, like Pakistan, like Yemen???
I find it pretty ironic that the most progressive Arab countries when it comes to women’s rights etc…Palestine, Syria, and yes even Iraq and Lybia…are the ones on our shit list…and the most repressive states are our buddies.
Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Lybia progressive? WOW! When was the last time you visited these “progressive” countries? I agree womens rights are important but remember womens rights flourished under Stalin as well. The Burmese have strong womens rights. North Korea too.
Just curious why you would support a war with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Yemen? Given where you live I am sure you are of the “make love not war” mindset and really don’t want to lift a finger to support your country.
Al they are not strict islamist states; women there can drive cars, vote, wear what they want. They aren’t progressive compared to our contry but compared to Saudi Arabia, Syria is as progressive as San Francisco.
So if this really is about freedom and the freedom of people in repressive Arab states why are we attacking the more forwad thinking nations first? What aren’t we freeing the poor women of Saudi Arabia??? perhaps this war isn’t really about freedom…perhaps they’re lying to us…perhaps.