Has the Iraq war been worth it in terms of lives and money?

Answer 1

All things considered the Iraq Occupation has been the worst nightmare in American History. Not only has it bankrupted America, it has divided this country beyond repair and turned the US from the most respected country to the most hated and despised country in the world.

Answer 2

I don't think that any war is worth the loss of life, but I do know and understand that sometimes war is necessary. Not everyone will agree with the war in Iraq, and that is their right.

I also know that the number of lives lost in this was is less than the number of lives lost in just the battle for Iwo Jima in WWII. I am not trying to be cruel or crass, but think what the difference could be in the world if those men had not shown up to fight for that island, and said instead "I don't think it's worth it"

Many wont like this answer and that is OK-but I guess that some think the price of freedom is worth less than I do. And be for any goes down that rode that insinuates that I don't have loved ones doing the fighting and possible dying, your wrong. 1 in the Army, 2 in the Air Force, 2 in the Marines and that is just my family not including any friends that are military, and trust me there is a lot of them.

Answer 3

It's well established we're in a conflict of futility: we can't train the Iraqi people to defend themselves; they're wanting us to forever stay there and die for them--something I now think is wrong.

It's also evident the reasons given us to even go into Iraq were bogus lame lies: we never found any weapons of mass destruction and since when did we actually care what a dictator was doing in their country??

And that's been the case of ALL wars: the REAL reasons they were waged were kept from us. And so are the REAL reasons we waged war in Iraq. Although public suspicions of gaining control of Mid-East oil flow are pretty much on-track.

This is why Bush is reluctant to order a troop withdraw: we just can't let go and leave the Iraq oil refineries--ah, but keeping them there, while everyone goes home would confirm our suspicions.....so everyone (for now)....stays. Bush won't be too concerned being called a lying warmonger when he leaves office: he's pretty much set his retirement options (war does merit profits).

It's a safe assumption a US troop withdraw order will have to come from the new President--who will have NO choice but to keep troops controlling those oil refineries.

NO war justifies the loss of life and it sickens me to think we spend $50 BILLION a month for Iraq war--when that $$$ could do so much good here in America--if political greed were never an issue. Interesting how in Vietnam, we backed up our politicians and dammed our troops...and today, it's the flip opposite. We've awakened to banal truths we must now call for their end and bring justice and our US troops home.

So in a word to give an answer: I'd have to choose one word: NO.

Answer 4

The amount of money being spent in Iraq ranges from $255 million a day to more than $7 billion per month, with a final price tag expected to exceed $1 trillion.

The National Priorities Project, which uses a calculation based on U.S. budget appropriations (looking at what has already been spent and extrapolating the level of future spending based on this), estimates that the total money spent or allocated comes to about $255 million per day.

That is a little less than $1.8 billion a week, including both military and non-military spending.

Other estimates, however, also factor in other costs, such as the financial loss resulting from the deaths of soldiers, as well as future costs that do not show up in current appropriations, like equipment replacement and interest on the deficits being created.

If you add those and other costs to the total tab, the cost of the war is as much as $7.1 billion a month, and the total cost could top $1 trillion.

Not included in either of those accounting methods are the financial and economic impact on Iraq. Oil production dropped from more than 2.5 million barrels a day in 2001 to less than 1.5 million in 2003. Further, the loss of life to the Iraqi people could be in the hundreds of thousands.

Answer 5

Of course not. The Iraq war has been a complete waste of money and lives, both American and Iraqi. Some could argue that it's good for the future of Iraq but I don't buy that argument. Iraq would have eventually come around in time without the need of invading it. All we have done is created a civil war that was under control under Sadaam. If history has taught us anything, it's that the Muslim world will not ever give up. To them, giving up is the biggest sin.......

Answer 6

Heck yes.
As long as it is not my life and I can still make money who cares the cost in men and to rest of taxpayers.
Our defense industrys are going gangbusters so much so we have to have foeign firms building our weapons by overseas firms and ammo also.
So what if it made some corporations and individuals richer it also did the parents and loveys of those killed in Iraq. As for the wounded , If they are hurt bad enough they no longer need to work and will continually keep our medical personell working for many years in future.
For everyone killed or wounded it opens up another job opportunity, more chance of rank if in service and an entry level job if not.
This is a good war!
Viva Democratica!
Viva capitalism!
iraqui lives afe cheaper than our own and so are the upcoming iranians and those in Africa are real cheap.
we used to have to go there grab an African and then being them here to work and nwo all we got to do is go there run their country and they can stay home and work for us.

Answer 7

Having been in war, I firmly believe there is no value one can assign to human life,

Monetarily, the jury is still out. There has been an ENORMOUS amount of waste. Millions, hundreds of millions of dollars GONE. Unaccounted for. That is obscene. Our grandkids will be paying off the bills for this venture until they are old.

I have a hard time understanding what the motive was for removing Hussein. He was abusive to his own people and was an international criminal but he kept Iran in check without costing the US a penny. Saudi Arabia is one of few Arab countries that has good relations with the US but with Saddam out of the way the government of Iraq will eventually become Shiite dominated. Once that happens we have a Shiite dominated Iran, Shiite dominated Iraq and a Sunny dominated Saudi Arabia getting very nervous and worried over its future in the middle east.

For those who don't know, the Sunnis and Shiites have a long standing resentment for each other that goes back to about 600AD over who would take the place of Muhammad, the founder of Islam. There is much prejudice and mistreatment between the sects and often times bloodshed as we are now witnessing in Iraq. These sects hate each other no matter that they are all Arabs. Shiites from other countries will travel hundreds of miles on foot for a chance to blow up a Sunni, and vice versa.

This military operation needed the full support of the UN but didn't get it. Our "fearless" leaders decided to go in anyway and now it is costing many times more than was estimated.

There was much waste too in the process of establishing a base of operations. Seems to me we would be better off to withdraw to the borders, seal them so no one could leave or enter and force the Iraqi Shiites to get the uprising under control or perish. Sounds calloused I know but that may be the only way to stop the bloodshed.

How do you deter a fighter who is thoroughly convinced that he will go to heaven and have seven virgins waiting for him if he dies in battle against his enemies?
He has been living in a poor part of the world with little hope of improvement so going to heaven by dieing in battle is whole lot better than the life he has been living.

The only good that has come of it for the US is that the terrorists are now concentrating their resources on the area of Iraq. They are too busy, and too stressed to bother the US. At least for the time being. My heart goes out to the people who are ecperiencing a living hell. Not knowing when a bomb will go off at the grocery store is very nerve wracking. Not knowing when a terrorist will jump out of a doorway and macine gun your family is a terrible way to live. But that is now the life of most Iraqi people.

Answer 8

In terms of lives: death toll for our forces is low considering it is a war, so it's unfortunate that we lose anyone but I say yes it has been worth it.

In terms of money: this war has cost to much for the benefits it has reached thus far. It would be a smart tactic for insurgents / Al Qaeda to bankrupt is in the long run by forcing us to remain at war.

Answer 9

Who cares about the money? People are losing family members and friends in this bogus war and every other war our government has started in the name of revenge and the almighty dollar.

Answer 10

the answer to this will only be known years from now when and if Iraq becomes a true democracy this will effect the whole middle east region.