Congress predicts war costs

I discovered this story in The Canadian Press after I Googled Iraq war today.

Congress is estimating the war costs in Iraq to hit $2.4 trillion by the next decade. Ok, I understand where this would stir up some issues with some of the American public. That is a lot of money.

The Democrats are saying the voters won't stand for the issue.

A direct quote from the story:

"That estimate is a far cry from the administration's original claim of a $50-billion price that the Iraqis could pay themselves," said U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the House of Representatives.

I found another story on the war costs from The Voice of America.

More than $450 billion has already been spent on the wars. President Bush has asked for another $160 billion for the fiscal year of 2008.

Again, the Democrats are angry. A quote from the VOA story.

"The truth is that this administration from its original $50 billion estimate on the cost of the war in Iraq right through the estimates being made outside this committee today, consistently low-balls, misstates to the American people the true cost of the dollars, and of course, the true cost in blood that we are paying for this go-it-alone misadventure," said Democratic Congressman Lloyd Doggett of Texas.


It's not the money thing that scares me. These estimates are assuming that there will still be 75,000 troops over in Iraq at that time - 2017. Are you kidding? That many troops ten years from now? Isn't that a bit more frightening than money!

It's interesting that I noticed this today. I was having a conversation last night with my boyfriend, who is indeed in the US Army, and he asked me what I thought if there was a World War 3 on our hands in the future. With 75,000 of our troops in Iraq in 2017 - doesn't that raise an interesting question. What if there is a World War 3 against terrorism on the horizon... what would come of it? What would happen to the Muslim community?

For another version of the original story visit CNN Money.



That's all for now...

Security shootings in Iraq

Two women were killed by private security contractors in Iraq. This is the second type of shooting of this nature this month. The women were members of the Armenian Christian community. The guards worked for the Unity Resources Group, which is an Australian-run security company that has its headquarters in Dubai.

The company said the neighborhood where the headquarters lie has been a target for suicide bombings. One of the women was driving a taxi cab that was unmarked. Below is part of a statement the Unity Resources Group released.

Fearing a suicide attack, only then did the team use their weapons in a final attempt to stop the vehicle.”
“We deeply regret the loss of these lives,” the statement said.

The story feature in the Herald Sun, an Australia daily, said the company is defending their actions.

The other shooting that occured by a security-type group was Blackwater USA that killed 17 people earlier this month.

This type of behavior, I fear, is a bit scary for our troops over in Iraq. These types of shooting is adding flame to the for Iraqis. Even though the United Resources Group is not a part of the United States military does not mean the Iraqi people will not blame us for this attack. The Blackwater USA attack was United States personnel.

I support our troops fully. Our boys are just doing their jobs. I would like them to come home. I fear that small issues and attacks such as these are prolonging their trip home to their families.

To view the story I found originally in full-length visit the following link in The New York Times.

This blog.

This blog will follow stories about the Iraq War. I think it's important for the American public to be informed about what's going on overseas.

I have friends and family in the military and I truly support our troops.

I just think it's important for people to remember that our boys are doing their jobs.

More to come...

Lindsey