Back in 2003, I led an effort before the Salem (Oregon) City Council to denounce Bush's plan to conduct a pre-emptive attack on Iraq. Over 180 citizens turned out to provide support and/or testify on the resolution presented. Not only did we make front page news in the Statesman Journal, but our effort was featured on PBS's News Hour with Jim Lehrer. (You can watch the streaming video here.)
Besides the event at City Council, many of us wrote letters to the editor. One of the points we hammered on was the potential cost to American taxpayers. We pointed out repeatedly that conservative estimates placed the price tag somewhere in the range of $100 - $200 million.
Well, you can guess what the response was from Bush supporters. "Those liberals are being overdramatic." "They're just trying to whip up hysteria." "It won't cost anywhere near that much and they damn well know it." "The president says it will cost far less and I believe he's being candid and honest." On and on and on.
According to an article in yesterday's Guardian, we hysterical liberals were indeed wrong! The "war" in Iraq isn't going to cost American taxpayers $100 - $200 million -- No, the bill will wind up being $1 - $2 TRILLION!!
Besides the event at City Council, many of us wrote letters to the editor. One of the points we hammered on was the potential cost to American taxpayers. We pointed out repeatedly that conservative estimates placed the price tag somewhere in the range of $100 - $200 million.
Well, you can guess what the response was from Bush supporters. "Those liberals are being overdramatic." "They're just trying to whip up hysteria." "It won't cost anywhere near that much and they damn well know it." "The president says it will cost far less and I believe he's being candid and honest." On and on and on.
According to an article in yesterday's Guardian, we hysterical liberals were indeed wrong! The "war" in Iraq isn't going to cost American taxpayers $100 - $200 million -- No, the bill will wind up being $1 - $2 TRILLION!!
The real cost to the US of the Iraq war is likely to be between $1 trillion and $2 trillion), up to 10 times more than previously thought, according to a report written by a Nobel prize-winning economist and a Harvard budget expert.Seems we weren't so hysterical after all.
The study, which expanded on traditional estimates by including such costs as lifetime disability and healthcare for troops injured in the conflict as well as the impact on the American economy, concluded that the US government is continuing to underestimate the cost of the war.
Their war in Afghanistan bankrupted the Soviet Union and our middle east conflicts are doing the same to us. Maybe we should all stay out of Muslim politics. As long as we get their oil, why should we care what they do to each other? "No more Mr. Nice Guy"
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