One of the disturbing facts that I learned this last weekend was that the malnutrition rate among children in Iraq has doubled since the war began. If that doesn't damn our actions, I don't know what does.
A month or so ago, I came across some projections of our involvement in this war and expected U.S. casualities. I've mentioned it at a couple of public events and now I'm realizing that it has never been publicized widely, even though it is from a government source. Even Rep. Barbara Lee hadn't heard it. Here it is, from the Congressional Budget Office: "For this estimate, CBO assumes that force levels and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for 2006 will remain at levels expected for 2005 and then will decline gradually over several years. Based on current death rates observed in those operations, and information provided by DoD regarding the fraction of deaths that might be categorized as occurring under combat-related circumstances outside of a combat zone, CBO estimates that implementing this provision would cost about $100 million in 2006 and $330 million over the 2006-2010 period." What provision is this? The death gratuity for soldiers killed in action. In other words, they expect 3,300 more to die from 2006 to 2010. "According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)--the administrator of the SGLI program--98 percent of servicemembers participate in SGLI and take out the maximum coverage for a premium of 6½ cents per $1,000 of coverage. In 2005, a servicemember who elects $150,000 of SGLI coverage will pay $9.75 a month or $117 a year. For this estimate, CBO assumes that force levels in theater for Operating Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) for 2006 will remain at levels expected for 2005 (about 200,000 servicemembers) and then decline gradually over several years to about 50,000 by 2010. Assuming premium rates remain at the 2005 level over the 2006-2010 period, CBO estimates that DoD's cost for the authorized premium payments would total $24 million in 2006 and $71 million over the 2006-2010 period." Fifty thousand troops still in harm's way in 2010... for a war that was totally ujustified and has left both countries worse off. "And it's one, two, three, what are we fighting for?" I met Country Joe McDonald last Friday. It was very moving to speak to a small group including him, since I've sung that song and its takeoffs since about 1972. What *are* we fighting for? Just about all of the troops I've met say they're fighting to keep their friends alive. A while ago, I conceded that perhaps there is more hope in Iraq than before we removed its despicable tyrant and his crowd. I want to retract that. It is incredibly arrogant for us to insist that without us, they did not or do not have hope. To be perfectly clear about where I stand today, I believe that the best thing we can do is get our troops out of Iraq and fund others to provide security and rebuilding. Our presence there is making things worse, not better. To those who say that if we left, civil war would break out, I say, what do you think is happening now? We're not in control of that country; we're barely in control of the Green Zone and a few other spots. Nick -- Nick Arnett [EMAIL PROTECTED] Voicemail: 408-904-7198 _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
