Ninth Anniversary Legacies of the Iraq War / Lessons for U.S.'s Iran Policy" Community Forum

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Ira Harritt

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Mar 15, 2012, 6:39:41 PM3/15/12

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Dear KC Iraq Task Force Supporters,

Though U.S. military troops have left Iraq before we can relegate the war to the past we should take time to reflect on the legacies of the war. March 19^th, the ninth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, is a good time to reflect on this and on the U.S.’s obsession with military action. While pundits and war profiteers claim the war a success you should recognize the tragedy the Iraq war has been.

When the impact of the war -- on Iraqis, on U.S. troops, on the U.S. economy, on the establishment of a stable Iraqi democratic government and on U.S. standing in the world -- are considered, too much has been suffered and expended and too little accomplished.

(See below for stark facts that illustrate the extent of this disaster.)

In response to this reality the American Friends Service Committee with the UMKC Economics Club and the Kansas City Greens has organized a public forum entitled:

“Legacies of the Iraq War / Lessons for U.S.’s Iran Policy” Community Forum

on March 19, Monday, 7:00 to 8:30pm

at UMKC, Haag Hall, Room 301, 52nd and Rockhill Road, KCMO.

(Parking available on the street on Rockhill and Holmes and in metered lot at 52nd/53rd Streets and Holmes.)

Join us to hear a panel of insightful speakers examine the human, economic and political impacts of the Iraq war and provide an analysis of U.S. / Iran relations, Iranian perspectives and how lessons from Iraq can guide U.S. Iran policy.

Nine years of the U.S.-led war has left Iraq in shambles. Our actions have left a disastrous legacy for all of the players involved here in the U.S. and in Iraq.

Failing to learn from the tragic realities of the war puts us at risk for repeating the same mistakes in the future. This is especially crucial as some urge military action against Iran and as the misuse of “intelligence” once again is used to justify attack.

Nine years of war has left Iraq in shambles, achieving the status of being listed ninth on the 2011 Failed States Index.

The costs of trying to use force to achieve political goals has resulted in too many lost and ruined U.S. and Iraqi lives, too many hundreds of billions of tax dollars wasted and decades more of paying to care for wounded U.S. troops. Rather than making our world more secure it has done the opposite.

Those who blithely call for the use of the ineffective and self-destructive tool of military might in Iran, Syria or Libya have learned nothing from the Iraq war.

The event is free and open to the public. More information about the event can be found at:

Hope you can join us on Monday, March 19.

Sincerely,

Ira Harritt

KC Program Coordinator

American Friends Service Committee

4405 Gillham Rd., Kansa City, MO 64110

ihar...@afsc.org, http://afsc.org/office/kansas-city-mo

816 931-5256

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Realities of Iraq War

Impact on Iraqis

· Conservatively at least 150,000 to 400,000 Iraqis died of violence between 2003 and 2011.

· Close to 3.5 million Iraqis, out of a population of 31.5 million, are displaced internally or in neighboring states (only 1/8 have attempted to return).

· Nearly a quarter of Iraqi children under five have stunted growth as a result of chronic malnutrition.

· In 2010 53 percent of Iraqis lived in slum conditions.

Impact on U.S. Troops

· Almost 4,500 U.S. troops have been killed and over 22,000 wounded in Iraq

· 20% to 50% of all service members deployed to Iraq suffer from PTSD.

· 1 in 3 women in the military are sexually assaulted

· From 2001 to 2009 the military suicide rate increased 150%

Impact on U.S. Economy

· Total 2001-2011 Pentagon allocation for war was $1,208.1 billion.

· Obligated funds for future medical and disability costs of veterans for the next 30 to 40 years will total $600 billion to $1 trillion.

· Total costs of all current U.S. wars between 2001 and 2011 will total $3.2 to $4 trillion.

· The huge investments in the military resulted in a weaker economy and decreased spending on non-military, public infrastructure and in other areas which would have resulted in increased job creation.

Impact on the nation of Iraq

· Iraq is ninth on the Fund for Peace 2011 Failed State Index

· Iraq ranks the worst in the Middle East, 1.5, on Transparency International’s corruption scale (0 to 10)