- Did the Iraq war increase security for the US?
On 11 Sep 07 Senator John Warner (R-Va) asked Gen. David Petraeus whether the current strategy in Iraq “will make America safer.” Petraeus replied, “I believe that this is indeed the best course of action to achieve our objectives in Iraq.”
Warner repeated his unanswered question: “Does that make America safer?”
Petraeus said, “I don’t know, actually. … I have not stepped back. … I have tried to focus on what I think a commander is supposed to do, which is to determine the best recommendations to achieve the objectives of the policy for which his mission is desired.”
Translation: I do not think so, but I am carrying out a policy that is not mine to the best of my ability.
- Did the Iraq war cost a lot of money?
To date, the direct war costs are at $ 451,000,000,000 ($451 billion). This does not include long-term costs, such as healthcare for injured veterans, etc. See NationalPriorities.org for more info.
- Did the Iraq war kill a lot of innocent people?
To date, the number of verifiable civilian Iraq casualties stands at around 75,000. The count encompasses non-combatants killed by military or paramilitary action and the breakdown in civil security following the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. See IraqBodyCount.org for more info.
- Does President Bush intend to hand the Iraq problem to his successor?
No doubt. The Iraq issue will be one of the main problems for President Bush’s successor, likely a Democrat.
