Money mess created by six years of Iraq
March 13, 2009 by John Allen · 6 Comments
Much is being written and said about the new stimulus law (officially the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009). Not enough of us explain or realize why we’re in this money mess.
It’s primarily because we’ve spent or authorized more money on the Iraq war (its sixth anniversary is next Thursday) than we’re putting into the stimulus program. Comparison:
•The Iraq war $864 billion.
•The stimulus program $787 billion.
Sure, greedy bankers, covetous Wall Streeters, irresponsible buyers of homes and cars they couldn’t afford all contributed to this recession. But if we hadn’t blown that huge bundle in Iraq, we could have handled our problems here at home more easily.
"Congress is ‘debating,’ but President Bush and his hawkish cohorts are demanding a virtual blank check to wage war on Iraq. They’ll probably get it. That’s a mistake."
Many Democrats as well as nearly all Republicans in Congress gave Bush that blank check. Votes on the Iraq resolution:
• House of Representatives: Yes, 215 Republicans, 81 Democrats.
• Senate: Yes, 48 Republicans, 29 Democrats.
By contrast, the votes on President Obama’s recovery or stimulus plan to clean up the mess that Congress helped create with the Iraq misadventure:
• House: 246 Democrats, 0 Republicans.
• Senate: 56 Democrats, 3 Republicans.
Both parties got us into this mess, but only one is trying to get us out of it. As a political independent, I understand that. No matter your party affiliation or inclination, you should, too.
Other views on Iraq and stimulus
"We averaged 8% of our GDP on defense over a decades-long Cold War and never faced an economic downturn like this. Today all defense spending, including Iraq, is only 4% of GDP. Blaming the Pentagon for the recession is just bad math."
— James Carafano, research fellow, Heritage Foundation
"I led the effort against the war in Iraq. It was as wrong then as it is today. We need to bring the troops home and begin to repair the damage we’ve done to Iraq and to our own economy."
— Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio
Here is the bottom line. WE DO NOT need an Offense Department. We need a Defense Department. We do not need to go around the world looking for wars to flex our muscles when we cannot even afford to pay for the wars we are waging now. We borrowed Chinese money to wage a war in Iraq that was morally wrong and had no real purpose but the assuaging of egos on the far right.
The whole situation is insane. We cannot afford this insanity any longer.
How is the war in Iraq morally wrong? Stupid maybe, but morally wrong, no way.
Certainly you jest ! Are you serious? War can only legally be waged under International Law and morally waged under the ancient Christian concept of Just War as far back as Saint Augustine if imminent danger exists. In other words real and imminent danger of attack and slaughter by an enemy is the only Christian reason for going to war. A "War of Offensive Defense" is nonsense. No one has ever bought into that in 2,000 years of Christian history. This is mere wordy, goofy ridiculous gibberish that allowed the Bush Administration to wage an illegal and immoral war against Sadaam.
There was huge profits to be made in defense money contracts by friends of Dick Cheney. They used G.W.Bush’s desire to hurt Sadaam to get their war. Sadaam had tried to kill the senior George Bush years before. So G.W. Bush was more than willing to see any excuse as a green light to fabricate a war once lousy intelligence allowed to do so. The whole thing was a barbaric con job on YOU and ME and the Iraqi people who were already suffering.
You cannot be serious!
AND–we need to get out of Afghanistan also. Matter of favt, it’s time to progressively phase down the empire.
That’s “fact”, not “favt”. Sorry, typo…
You obviously know very little about the economy. Iraq had absolutely nothing to do with our current economic crisis. If the stimulus bill is the answer to our current problem, then all the money we spent during the Iraq war should have stimulated the economy, not hurt it. You can’t have it both ways.
As far your view on the war, you have a solid opinion. I disagree with, however, respect your opinion. But stick to writing about that which you understand. And the economy is not something you have a clue about.
The best defense is a strong offense. About 25% of the world’s population hates the US. They hated us under George Bush as well as Bill Clinton. (Remember all of the attacks on US interests under Clinton. Many of you forget!) We did not go on the offense then and 911 happened. When we changed policy after 911, we have not had an attack. Facts are facts and there is nothing you can do to change them. So, I’m not discounting your opinion about what is a justified war, only that you concede that we will be much more likely to find ourselves in need of defense if we never go on offense.
I personally would rather go to war and be safe at home rather than your method.