I am presently looking at CNN on a Tuesday evening and the headline is Iraq, Success or Failure? That to me seems beside the point. Since our current president decided to invade this Middle Eastern country, 5 years ago, the bigger question is who has been impacted the most. Let's see: 1. The price of gas is over $3 a gallon (as of yesterday when I drove into Salem, MA its $3.13); 2. Consumer prices have risen dramatically parallel to the rise in gas prices (my rent will increase $20 more dollars a month); 3. 3500+ U.S. men and women have lost their lives and thousands more have been injured physically and mentally; 4. Thousands of Iraqi men, women and children (estimates 100,000 to 350,000); 4. Civil Liberties guaranteed by the constitution have been revoked all in the name of battling terrorism; 5. The U.S. is hated more today than when our current president came into office in 2000(France, Germany, Bolivia, Ecuador, etc); 6. The tragedy of Hurricane Katrina in 2005(not enough National Guard troops since they are in Iraq); 7. Osma Bin Laden has he been captured; 8. Guatanamo Bay Secret Prisons; etc.
The list can go on. One of my conservative friends (MC) will defend the actions of our current president and I respect his opinion, but the fact is that Iraq does not equal 9/11. Also the situation of Afghanistan is worsening since all our troops are elsewhere. Iraq is the Vietnam of the 21st century, hopefully we will learn our lessons before anyone else is impacted.
