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closeWhat is the cost of war? Congress just approved another $165 billion, no strings attached, enabling President Bush to continue his misadventures in Iraq. This is the latest installment for an occupation estimated at $3 trillion.
The financial cost, however enormous, pales in comparison to the price our veterans and their families pay.
According to a study by RAND, 620,000 U.S. troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, or have traumatic brain injuries.
In April, the Veterans Administration confirmed that 6,552 veterans per year, an average of 18 veterans per day, commit suicide. An internal VA e-mail revealed twice as many veterans attempt suicide while under department care. According to the Seattle P-I, an army official stated that unsuccessful suicide attempts likely outnumbered suicides by about seven to one.
What is the price tag on the loss of a son or daughter, husband or wife, brother or sister, mother or father? The cost is incalculable. While we blithely planned July Fourth barbecues and decide how many fireworks to buy, I believe Bush is planning an assault on Iran and decides how many bombs to drop.
Mary Ann Armstrong
Deming
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