The following is excerpted from Chapter 1 of SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Humanity:
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About Iraq
Where was the Garden of Eden? The Tower of Babel? Mesopotamia? The Cradle of Civilization? Daniel’s lion den? Babylon? Where did Noah build his Ark? From where did come the Three Wise Men? Why, of course, Iraq, home to the first civilizations!
However, it was not until 1919 that Iraq became an official Middle East country. After the first world war, the League of Nations made Iraq a British mandate, but independence was granted in 1932. After WW II, there was a monarchy, then a coup d’etat, a couple of overthrows and, finally, the ascendance of Saddam Hussein in 1979. The Iran-Iraq war of the 1980’s had, officially, half a million deaths, but other estimates at least double that total. The first Gulf War (Iraq-Kuwait)of 1990 had a reported kill total of close to 150,000, including civilians, with only 148 American battle casualties. The America-Iraq war of the 21st century will have up to 1.5 million violent deaths, with a bit more than 4,000 being American casualties.
Comparing the two countries (all these tables come from the CIA World Factbook):
........................Iraq...................... United States
Age...............7000 years...............About 200 years
Where was the Garden of Eden? The Tower of Babel? Mesopotamia? The Cradle of Civilization? Daniel’s lion den? Babylon? Where did Noah build his Ark? From where did come the Three Wise Men? Why, of course, Iraq, home to the first civilizations!
However, it was not until 1919 that Iraq became an official Middle East country. After the first world war, the League of Nations made Iraq a British mandate, but independence was granted in 1932. After WW II, there was a monarchy, then a coup d’etat, a couple of overthrows and, finally, the ascendance of Saddam Hussein in 1979. The Iran-Iraq war of the 1980’s had, officially, half a million deaths, but other estimates at least double that total. The first Gulf War (Iraq-Kuwait)of 1990 had a reported kill total of close to 150,000, including civilians, with only 148 American battle casualties. The America-Iraq war of the 21st century will have up to 1.5 million violent deaths, with a bit more than 4,000 being American casualties.
Comparing the two countries (all these tables come from the CIA World Factbook):
........................Iraq...................... United States
Age...............7000 years...............About 200 years
Size.........0.437 million sq km......9.826 million sq km
Population.....27.5 million................302 million
GDP...............$88 billion...............$13,000 billion
GDP/Capita...$2,900.....................$44,000
Military Exp..$7.6 billion...............$528 billion
As %GDP........8.6%..........................4.1%
Is Iraq to become our next Vietnam? Yes and no. 2007 turned out to be the year with our highest deaths in Iraq. Amazingly enough, 2007 was also the year we also experienced our highest casualties in Afghanistan after that 2001 invasion year. Yet, by the time we leave Iraq in what could still be in ignominy, our military deaths will only be around 5% that of the Southeast Asian conflict known as Vietnam, which resulted in around 80,000 American deaths. Mind you, an estimated 5 million died in that war, including enemy and civilians. The guerillas of VN attacked at their advantage, not unlike the terrorist bombers of Iraq.
The enemy in the 70’s had open access to China and, even, Russia. Today, it is Iran and every other Arabic country. Not quite as intimidating this time. But oil, I guess, suffices.
The purpose of VN was to check the spread of communism, while in Iraq we are there to spread democracy. You might say, this is almost the same thing. We lost the VN war because of television. We just didn’t have the heart to continue the embarrassment and tragedy unfolding while we had dinner. The exact same thing is happening this time, although the American public seems satisfied with Republican-Democratic politics taking the place of anguished public protests. So, yes, it’s the same, but no because this new one is an almost trivial affair with no world power points at stake.
But you’ve heard too much already about weapons of mass destruction, or the lack of them; the high cost of this war; and the quagmire it has become. Read about this war in another book.
In any case, at least we have a stooge in place to represent sane democratic policy and righteousness in the Middle East. Well, maybe no. On May 27, 2006, not very long after establishing their government, Iraq Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, and his Iranian counterpart, Manouchehr Mottaki, all smiles, faced the public in Baghdad, and reiterated friendship with each other. Zebari went on to say that Iraq supports Iran’s right to develop nuclear energy, a position at complete odds with the U.S. view. Now, surely, there were the appropriate diplomatic checks and there was some sort of blessing ceremony in White House ranks for Iraq to appear to be one of the Muslim gang. If nothing else, this reverse negative psychology should serve a useful purpose of confusing the enemy. On the other hand, one has to wonder.
In 2007, Baghdad awarded more than a billion dollars in contracts to Iranian and Chinese companies to build electrical powerplants. Part of the deal was that Iran would also provide cheaper electricity to the grid. There was no backlash from the U.S., for, the thinking might have been that we need to have a greater part of the world participate in the restoration of Iraq. Maybe we have learned a lesson. Then again, maybe we are losing influence already.
One final issue about these minor wars. Yes, there is the matter of cost and casualties. The 4,000+ deaths and 30,000 injuries are two things. However, there is more. It is reported that in the 12 month period from 2006 to 2007, 70% of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans sought treatment for post-traumatic stress. LET ME REPEAT: 70%!!! Scarily, there should have been even more, as this percentage does not include those treated at storefront Vet Centers operated by department stores, nor, of course, those who value their future career (either in the military or later in life) and choose not seek aid. Compound this matter with the affect on families and communities and you get a closer appreciation about the wickedness of even a minor war.
Then we attempted a last gasp surge, which was somewhat puny, but, apparently, worked. In August of 2007, the UN Security Council voted unanimously to expand presence in Iraq, that is, serve as the transition government after the U.S. and U.K. move out. Call it peace keeping if you wish, at least there is an international organization capable of providing a solution.
Oh, my gosh....the Dow Jones Industrial crashed 332 to under 8000, ending at 7949 today on the inaugural of our great gray hope, Barack Obama. Normally, on this day of a new president, stocks only drop 1%. Our stock market sunk 4% today. Well, the all world markets also declined. It could be a long winter, spring, summer, fall, winter....
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Well, crude jumped today towards the direction of the Dated Brent Spot. The NYMEX Crude Futures ended at $40.33/barrel, narrowing the gap of the Dated Brent Spot at $41.89. Remember, the diffential was more than$8/barrel yesterday. Mind you, this is a NYMEX leap of $6.33/barrel, an increase of almost 20%, so what in the world is happening to the price of oil? Stay tuned. The Fall metastability of the stock market is now hitting the oil market. This can only be very dangerous to the world economy.
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