2004 Year in Review

Is Iraq worth the price?

Memorial Day is a reminder of the sacrifice that is justified by American national interest and survival. The American people were united in their goal of defeating the Japanese. They were convinced that the cost of the war was justified by its goals. The question for us today is whether the war in Iraq meets the same standard.

Comparisons between Japan and Iraq

There has been frequent comparison to the quest in Iraq by its proponents to the fight and occupation of Japan during World War II. There are significant differences, however, which are instructive. There is a principle in war (and in life in general, it would seem) that the price paid has to be less or equal to the benefits.

The cost of World War II was very high in terms of human life and limb for the United States. 16 million Americans fought in World War II and nearly 400,000 lost their lives (this includes the European theater).

What could justify that enormous cost?

By attacking Pearl Harbor without warning, the Japanese put American survival in question. The American fleet had been practically destroyed. Many thought that there was little to stand in the way of a Japanese invasion of the American west coast.

Thus, the soldiers who stormed onto the beaches of the islands, which had to be conquered against fierce Japanese resistance, had no doubt of what they were fighting for. They dedicated their lives to defeat Japan and showed amazing courage. At home, people contributed to massive rubber drives and planted victory gardens. Americans paid very high taxes during the war to pay for the cost.

The American people and its courageous soldiers decided that the war was worth any price that had to be paid. The goal of defeating the Japanese was worth any cost in American lives and treasure.

The cost of the war in Iraq – is it worth it?

Iraq is also important to American interests. The United States bought 10% of Iraqi oil before the war. A stable Iraq would be a valuable asset in the Mideast. Conversely, an unstable Iraq would be a fertile ground for terrorism.

The question is, then, what cost are Americans willing to pay. So far, the United States has paid over $100 billion, over 800 have lost their lives and 4,700, at least, have been wounded, many seriously. Although very serious, the cost of the war, so far, has been much smaller than that paid in World War II.

However, that cost is not all that will have to be paid if the United States expects to have success. Many experts believe that for the United States to ‘prevail’ in Iraq would require 250,000 to 500,000 troops. The cost in treasure and casualties can be expected to grow considerably as Iraqi insurgents fight against what they consider to be a foreign occupation.

That level of commitment would cause higher taxes, higher deficits, or drastic cuts in other spending. Since the military doesn’t currently have that number of troops available for combat, a military draft of 18-year old men and women would likely be necessary. Tragically, even given that level of commitment, the United States has no assurance that it would prevail against a committed and well-armed foe.

Another cost of the war in Iraq is its effect on the war on terror. The war appears to be actually encouraging Arab terrorists and, certainly deverting US attention from the war on the terrorism. According to R Bruce St John:

The crisis in Iraq, coupled with radical shifts in US policy in the Middle East and elsewhere, have given extremists a new focus, allowing radical groups to widen their appeal among Muslims and others.

According to a report by an independent think tank, “The US-led war on Iraq, far from countering terrorism, has helped revitalise the Al-Qaeda terror network, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) think-tank warned.”

The war in Iraq seems to more closely resemble Vietnam than the war against Japan. Toward the end of the Vietnam War, the United States realized that the cost paid (58,000 lives) with the certainty of a future greater loss of life, was far greater than any benefit it would derive from supporting a South Vietnamese government which lacked the political support of its citizens.

The military was continually calling for additional hundreds of thousands of troops with no assurance that it would be enough. My fear is that Iraq could go the way of Vietnam - that the US will pay a much greater price for a stable, democratic Iraq than it is worth in terms of life, limb and treasure. Are the benefits of the war worth having your son or daughter drafted into the army and sent off to the Mideast to be shot at by people who see us as occupiers? Is the war worth any cost?

So, the question is: Is the war in Iraq worth the price?

by John Legler, Guest Columnist
May 30, 2004