The Wasteland
What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty and democracy?
--Gandhi
--Gandhi
After reading these figures I'm always totally amazed that the military fraternal organizations are so gung-ho in accepting the administration's abuses and treatment of combat veterans. By supporting these phony wars, the organizations are insuring that there will always be disabled veterans to flesh out their membership rolls.
It is all rather self-serving and self-perpetuating. The first excerpt is on the material cost of the war; the second, the human cost in terms of injuries.
"All told, the article estimated that the Iraq War will cost more than $2 trillion when congressional appropriations costs to rebuild the U.S. military after the war, lost productivity (especially among police and fire department ranks) in the civilian sector of those serving in the war and the higher cost of oil are factored into the final tally."
I thought the oil was suppossed to come down after this great liberation.
To read the full report, access milkeninstitute.
Next: Iraq Vets Health Costs Estimated at $127 Billion
"Caring for veterans of the Iraq War could top out at $127 billion, according to...The Milken Institute Review. The report stated that medical care and disability benefits will be a "major contributer" to the war's final costs.
The report notes that 2.6 million vets--including 40% of those who served in 1991's Persian Gulf War--are currently receiving VA disability. The total bill has risen by $228 billion in the past year alone.
...The report estimated that the 7,000 veterans with "severe brain, spinal, amputation and other serious injuries will require a lifetime of round-the-clock care."
Some 144,000 troops wounded or injured in Iraq sought VA care in the first quarter of 2006. That figure is 23% more than the Bush Administration had estimated for the entire year. VA treated 20,638 troops for post-traumatic stress disorder in the first quarter of 2006, while the Administration had estimated 18,000 for the full year. Overall, VA added 250,000 beneficiaries to its rolls in 2006."
Where is the funding coming from?
posted by rangeragainstwar at 7:33 PM
5 Comments:
The Gandhi quote reiminds me of "The War Prayer" by Mark Twain. If you haven't read it , a Google search will bring it up.Also , have you read "War is a Racket" by Smedley Butler? The whole book is available on line.
I'm not opposed to self defense but I am against murdering out of greed.
Buzz
Right on, Buzz.
We're not peaceniks here; we, too, understand the necessity of defense. But it is just that.
You obviously understand our opposition to the Iraqi adventure (see our recent pictoral posting, "Team Haliburton".) What an incredible drain on all sides, of all resources, for naught. They're giving us "Bloody Hell", and how could we have expected otherwise.
I have read the Twain ref.; not the Butler, but thanks for it.
L.
> Where is the funding coming from?
The central banks of China, Japan, S Korea, and, increasingly, the oil producing nations to whom we've provided such an incredible windfall. Brad Setser's blog provides tremendous detail on where these monies are coming from.
In the end, though, it will be our children who will pay the price of our lack of wisdom and integrity.
Claymore,
I don't deal in "what if's," but what is. When I write an operations order, I deal with assumptions that affect the mission, but that is as far as I'm willing to go.
Anon.,
Thank you for the input, and we're on the same sheet of music.
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