US Iraq War dead exceeds 9/11 as America ponders defeat
Politics / Iraq War Oct 18, 2006 - 12:00 AM GMTBy: Sarah_Jones
With 2 weeks to go, the US war dead in Iraq reaches 71 and signals October is likely to be the worst month so far. Whilst at the same time exceeding the numbers killed on 9/11 In addition to the dead are the wounded numbering more than 25,000. Let alone the iraqi dead estimates of whom go as high as 600,000.
The talk in the White House is now of an exit strategy, the key phrase being used is 'redeployment' rather than withdrawal, redeployment in plain language is withdrawal out of Iraq.
Who will fill the void ? The only possibility is of handing over partial responsibility to Iran and Syria to subdue insurgent factions so as to prevent civil war in Iraq, as both countries presently as stoking the fires of civil war, whereas should the US leave Iraq, it is likely they would want a stable neighbor as the conflict could spill over into Iran and Syria.
In economic terms the war is costing the US some $300 billions per year, when taking into account medical costs of injured soldiers. This means the total real cost now exceeds $1 trillions !!! Given the debt situation, clearly the the war costs are not sustainable, and a significant reason why the US is being defeated in Iraq and not enough resources have been deployed to win what is increasingly turning out to be an un winnable war.
As the US is forced to withdraw from Iraq in effect defeated, it will do incalculable harm to Americas reputation, both in political and economic terms, though the initial response in the financial markets may be one of relief, though that is expected to be short lived !
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