The Hidden Costs of the War

Two recent articles in USA Today illustrate the hidden costs of the war.

The first is about an Army study that found mental issues in 25,000 troops that came back from Iraq, including “post-traumatic stress disorder and depression to substance abuse and family conflict.” 7,000 soldiers admitted to having a drinking problem.

The second is about police officers who come home from Iraq with symptoms of PTSD “that law enforcement and mental health authorities fear could put their judgment and public safety at risk.”

Americans who served in the military and those who have the misfortune of being in their family or otherwise dealing with them will be suffering from the effects of this evil war for years to come. When will this madness end? Will it have to drag out as long as Vietnam did?

Author: Laurence Vance

Laurence Vance holds degrees in history, theology, accounting, and economics. He has written and published twelve books and regularly contributes articles and book reviews to both secular and religious periodicals.

34 thoughts on “The Hidden Costs of the War”

  1. Yes, it will drag out as long as Vietnam. It is a shame America will have to carry with it long after this Empire is over.

  2. Even more sinister, if one can imagine it, Blackwater not only does its murderous version of security for the US State Department in Iraq, but also trains police nationwide.

    Blackwater has just opened new facilities in Illinois and California, and is trying to get involved in Border Patrol duties.

    Another curiosity–Blackwater mercenaries were also patroling New Orleans, from what one reporter who talked to them gathered, having been sent back from Iraq for the “duty”.

    The same reporter also ran across Israeli nationals doing securirty work in flooded New Orleans and working for an Israeli-owned security company.

    There was an indication that all these mercenaries were deputized in some way, as I recall, or at least claimed it.

  3. Yes, the cost will go on. In fact, America doesn’t even show signs of acknowledging a cost to be paid. Watching the Republican debate last night, I was struck by the fact that the audience boo-ed Ron Paul, the only candidate that seemed bothered by this country’s illegal occupation of Iraq. America is deeply delusional in thinking that we are doing the world a great service by acting like an selfish empire of old. Like a beligerant drunk, we are yet unapproachable by reason.

    1. Richard Vajs: Can you please explain your defintion of an “illegal occupation.” Does a tyrant have carte blanche to brutalize his people at will? Was Saddam Hussein not a tyrant? A cruel despot? So was Saddam “illegally occupying” Iraq as well? Or is evil and tyranny ok so long as it is committed, “in house” by the people of a country themselves?

      1. The occupation of Iraq is illegal because we had absolutely no permission from the UN, the Iraqis, or even our own elected Congress to attack and occupy Iraq. We must have some legal system to go by. We can’t just elect some bozo who makes himself ultimate judge of other countries’ behavior. Is that so foreign to your understanding? What if your neighbor decides that you are not treating your children right; can he barge in, shoot you, and haul off your kids? In the case of Iraq, Saddam was a great guy when he was killing Iranians but pure evil when he was aiding the Palestinians. If America is so righteous, why did we stand back and let 700,000 people in Rwanda get hacked up? Oh, of course, that was under Clinton and that didn’t affect precious Israel, did it now?

        1. Richard, once again, you are not telling the truth. Congress DID authorize the President to use military force and so did the United Nations. So it was not an illegal occupation. You can argue that it was immoral but how was it illegal?

        2. Tim R,
          Congress did not declare war. Some claim that Bush needed to come back to Congress before he actually started hostilities; others say he didn’t; the Constitution say he needed to. The UN Security Council was scheduled for a vote on a resolution to specifically authorize force but the Bush Administration saw that they weren’t even going to get a majority of the 15 nation vote (after intense pressure) so Bush just went ahead on his own. I remember the Liar-in-Chief saying before the aborted vote ” Everyone is going to put their cards on the table face up”. Yeah, right!. Phony Texas cowboy talk.
          Tim R, why are you so sloppy with your arguments? I shouldn’t have to repeat known facts. You argue like people patching adobe walls – you just stand back and throw mud as hard as you can until some sticks.

        3. Richard, you should know your facts. The fact of the matter is that Congress has not officially declared war since December 8th 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor. Now, I think Congress is derelict in their duty and you may agree,I think they should formally declare war in these situations, but that is not the point. The point is, they now use “authorizations of force” and have done so for all major conflicts from Korea to the current situation. So don’t act like Bush went in there without the consent of Congress. Kerry and Hillary both voted for this war and you know it.

          Also, the UN did authorize the use of force many times. Going back to the 1991 Gulf war. Saddam violated just about every part of the peace treaty that HE signed to end the first gulf war, so we had the right to go in there. Legally, under both American and international law we did nothing illegal.

          You can argue that the war was wrong, that it was immoral, unethical, and a monumental mistake. That is all well and good and you may have a valid point. But don’t say it was illegal, that is a distortion of the truth to say the very least.

        4. Tim R. – Doesn’t it matter to you that ANY war of aggression is illegal and has been since the end of WWII? Bush’s war is definitely is a war of aggression – Iraq never attacked or even threatened us. We went in there with guns blazing on false pretenses (the fictional WMDs). That is a WAR OF AGGRESSION and is ILLEGAL!!!!

      2. Yeah he does and if Saddam had a corner on the market of silk instead of oil this ‘Question’ would not be asked, which is further proof of illegal occupation.

        1. Are you saying oil is not a resource worth waging war over?

          Oil is what drives the world’s economy, and will continue to be what does so for many, many years to come, regardless of any efforts made to alter that.

      3. Saddam a tyrant? Ahem. What should i call an intruder who has up to now slaughtered more than what Saddam had accomplised?! A democratic tourist?

      4. Tim R,
        I thought you indicated once that you had legal training – as such you should know some basic logic (or maybe you know enough to know how to abuse it). The Iraq War is illegal; just because the invasion of Panama (for example) was also illegal doesn’t make every suceeding illegal invasion all of a sudden now legal because of some twisted precedent. The resolution that Congress passed was also based upon fraudulent information. Contracts are generally voided by disclosure of willfully fraudulent premises by one party.
        As far as the UN actions go, what else is there to say – they had passed sanctions against Iraq but they didn’t authorize US force. Bush sent that wretched Colin Powell there with a line of bs, and the Security Council wasn’t buying it, so Bush didn’t wait for the vote. He withdrew the issue and launched Shock and Awe. Incidentally, the UN has issued many resolutions condemming Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine, all of which Israel thumbs its nose at. Should they be subject to attack by the righteous US also?

  4. The crazy zionists are destroying America…you are a witness!

    If we fail to abolish the federal reserve corporation…dismantle the military-industrial complex and tell israel to go to hell, we’re pretty much finished as a free nation!

  5. pLEASE DON'T JOIN THE MILITARY, AND PLEASE ARGUE TO UNVOLUNTEER IF YOU DISCOVER YOU MADE A HUGE MISTAKE. HOW MISERABLE I FEEL TO KNOW THAT SO MANY OF MY FELLOW CITIZENS BOOED THE SO HONOROBLE RON PAUL LAST NIGHT. THE FIGHT FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE IS RIGHT ON!

    1. I’m very proud of my decision to join the United States Army, and I am very proud, in more ways than one, of my service to this great nation. An overwhelming majority of military servicemen and servicewomen feel exactly the same way as I do regarding this.

      And, yes, I’m proud of my service, even though I now have disturbing flashbacks to my deployment to Iraq, trouble sleeping, and still, a year later, flinch at noises that sound like explosions or gunshots.

      Risks like this, as well as risks to life and limb, are risks we take when we swear to defend this nation and its interests.

      As callous as it sounds, PTSD is nothing new. What is new, however, is the much greater understanding we have of it, and how to treat it, not to mention the incredible amount of treatment services the Armed Forces make available for personnel suffering from it, as with any other injury sustained during your service.

      That all aside, what exactly is ‘a fight for peace’? Isn’t that a bit contradictory?

      1. The fight I’m talking about is explained by Jorge below. Thank you. The military sent to Iran were not and are not defending the USA, and we have no right to attack another country for what the executive branch deems is our interests. To do so violates international law, and each of you combatants, as well as your leaders, risk condemnation under the Nurenburg Declaration.

      2. Qoute:
        “Risks like this, as well as risks to life and limb, are risks we take when we swear to defend this nation and its interests.”

        Defending your country is right
        Attacking another country is wrong and you are part of that ligacy of invading an innocent country who neither attack or threaten your contry in any way or shape
        You pride of destroying a country’s fabric and infrastructure is you are as guilty as the rest of your colleagues including every single american who supported the war.
        Swallow your pride and appologize.

  6. Someday
    Sooner than you think
    The dollar will collapse
    finances alone
    will force us to abandon the warfare state

  7. Ron Paul is the American David about to destroy the 1984 Big Brother Goliath armored by the Military Industrial Complex, the Oil Cartel, and all the other Fat Cat Cartels enslaving the American People and the World with death and destruction by endless wars and parasitical debts at every level of Human existance.

  8. “Ron Paul is the American David about to destroy the 1984 Big Brother Goliath armored by the Military Industrial Complex, the Oil Cartel,”

    Really? If by some miracle Paul won the Republican primaries and then became President how long do you think he’d live? A day? A week?

  9. They PLAY, as always, and we PAY, as always, with the lives of our children, our treasure and our freedoms. This is a trade only the foolish and unenlightened would countenance.

  10. “Support our Troops” is a bumper sticker. Troops see how much America really cares when they come back psycho-crazy. Chickenhawks figure it’s no skin off their ass so why should they care. But maybe they should.

    I was a country kid moving into the big city when Vietnam was winding down. I was five minutes late picking up the wife from work of the couple I was staying with. Passed the guy shot dead five minutes earlier on the side of the road when the crazy vet sniper opened fire on cars on the freeway.

    We haven’t learned one damn thing as a society in thirty years. So my advice to crazy-psycho vets if they must snap is to avoid the boys and girls in peacenik cheap cars who never wanted you to experience Iraq in the first place and aim for the rich-looking white male jerks — _especially_ if they have a “Support Our Troops” bumper sticker. Extra credit for two, three or four worthless tokens of nothing.

  11. What are some other costs to this war on Islamic insanity?

    How much did the two towers of the world trade center cost? How much were those four jetliners worth? How much damage to the Pentagon? How much damage was done to the USS Cole or to our embassies in Africa? How about all the other attacks over the years? How much money did that cost? How about all the lost revenue when no one wanted to ride in airplanes after 9/11? How about the innocent lives that have been lost? How much is the blood of 3,000 innocent civlians worth?

    No, let’s just sit back and do nothing. Let’s wait until the Islamo Fascists hit us again. Let’s sit around and wait till they hit us with a nuclear bomb and then we will see what the real costs will be.

    1. Tim R,
      All of these “costs” that you just tabulated should go under the column marked “Blowback”. Osama Bin Laden told us in very explicit words why 9/11 happened (stationing our troops in Saudi Arabia, interference in Islamic countries politics in order to exploit their oil, and our insane support of Zionism). These “Islamo-fascists” are not crazy; they do not desire suicide; they are like most people – they don’t want other people “monkeying” with them. We (especially the Zionists amongst us) feel we have some right to take their land, pervert their politics and walk over them. This is the real problem. I can guarantee you that if you have a neighbor and you steal his lawn furniture, dump your trash in his back yard and throw rocks at his kids; you will soon have a violent neighbor. You worry about Iran getting nuclear weapons; what do you think they have to worry about?

      1. Richard Vajs, let’s say your are right, for the sake of arguement. Bin Laden and the radical Muslims attack us, not because of their insane religious ideology but because we support the state of Israel and we have military bases in Saudi Arabia. (Of course that was after the Saudis asked us to come in since they thought Saddam was going to attack them) But in any even let’s say you are totally right. And by the way, Aymin Al Zawahari and Bin Laden himself are on record as saying that they want all of us to convert to Islam and that would create peace. But forget about that, let’s say you are totally right about their motives.

        Let me ask you this. If someone is breaking into your house and is screaming “ALLAH AKBAR” and wants to cut off your head and is about to attack you, do you ask him “What is troubling you?” “Let me try and understand your motives” or “What have I don’t to upset you to this extent?” Or, on the other hand, if you have a weapon do you take it out, lock and load, and start firing away? I say you shoot first and ask questions later. That is called SELF DEFENSE. I don’t care if they have legitimate grievances or not. They have killed thousands of Americans and would like to kill millions if they could. Our job is to defend ourselves, not to go for psycho-therapy with them to better understand their anger! Why are you making excuses for their heinous actions? Whenever America does something wrong, folks like you are so quick to assign blame. But it seems like the radical Muslims get your sympathy and you make excuses, lame excuses, for mass murder.

        So again I ask you, if the radical Muslims come to attack YOU, do you ask them to come for psychotherapy and try to talk with them, or do you stand up like a man and defend yourself and your family? When someone is attacking you, you shoot first and ask questions later!

        1. Quote:
          “Let me ask you this. If someone is breaking into your house and is screaming “ALLAH AKBAR” and wants to cut off your head and is about to attack you, do you ask him “What is troubling you?”

          When USA invade Iraq not just a house
          You must have seen some program where US soldiers break into family houses and gunned them down even babies

          Can PLEASE tell US when they broke in Iraq and their houses WHAT DID THE SOLDIERS SAYS

          was it Allah Akbar or was it it something else I can figure out?

        2. Rectification for the above

          Quote:
          “Let me ask you this. If someone is breaking into your house and is screaming “ALLAH AKBAR” and wants to cut off your head and is about to attack you, do you ask him “What is troubling you?”

          When USA invade Iraq not just a house
          You must have seen some programs where US soldiers break into Iraqis family houses and gunned them down even babies.

          Can you PLEASE tell us when they broke into Iraq and their houses WHAT DID THE SOLDIERS SAYS?

          Was it Allah Akbar or was it it something else I can’t figure out?

    2. You really believe OBL is responsible for the 911 attack

      Hoaxnews MBC CBS CNN have done a fine job

      Look nowhere for the guilty of 911 they are right at home.
      reaping the revenue from the war cost.

      Just loo how the tower fell like a stone no resistance to delay the fall

      May be the 19 or was it 15 hijacker did place explosive in strategic part of three building not just two that were hit by the plane

      And if USA had conclusive evidence not just words who did it
      we would have a an overwhelming fact of how and who did it

      But 5 years on we only have words from you and your teacher THE MIGHTY MSM and no proof.

      Only idiots confined within US borders believes that OBL or moslem are behind 911
      Outside USA that means billions of adult do not believe a word that comes from King George
      Just like Iraq was a threat to USA and you all believed it in USA.
      there are brain chip for sale in China if you need one.

  12. PS:

    Oh and I almost forgot, what about these maniacs who were so upset that a British school teacher let her class name a teddy bear Mohammed? They sentenced her to 15 days in jail and wanted to give her 40 lashes as well, Sudan relented from the lashes under international pressure. And the crowds came out of course, didnt they? Oh yes, all of the peaceful Muslims came out in the streets brandishing knives and calling for this poor woman’s death! 15 days and 40 lashes for a teddy bear? Well, that is not enough they said, “Kill her!” “Off with her head!!!”

    Maybe this was her fault somehow? I’m sure somehow you will blame this on America or Israel right? Maybe the Israeli secret police hatched this plan to name the Teddy Bear Mohammed?

    I mean can’t you see? Don’t you get it? These people are not normal. They are seriously mentally ill. They are CRAZY!!! 15 days in jail for a Teddy bear? And this is suppossed to be a peaceful religion?

    1. If David Kely had the same focus as the little teddy from the MSM
      We would have had the real verdict by now
      But a lil teddy has so much dignity and love and I am sure the MSM will not let out until justice is brought to BEAR.

      I am sure you agree that lil teddy should be given the most important name to moslems.

      40 lashes and two weeks jail to a woman, these things happen only where law and order is inexisatnt.

      Colonialism did not educate the colonised they were ripping the country and treating the populace like slaves.

      What you saw is what you reap.

    2. That went on in another country, named Sudan, not ours, and not all of the Muslims were out in the streets acting crazed. I know for a fact that about five years ago, in southern Sudan, also known as South Suda, under the auspices of a militia (whose name I can’t recollect at the moment) that that non-Muslim governing body arrested a Catholic nun because she had a copy of the Koran in her room, which, by the way, she was studying for understanding. Fear and/or fanaticism can go both ways, particularly in the same country, especially if it is impoverished.

  13. Congressmen Senators the profiteer from the evil war do not have their kids or relatives in Iraq- Afghanistan.
    Bush’s two duaghters are of military age but they would never be sent to any war or even 50 miles away from Texas.
    Why would the warmongers wory or care about PTSD or else.

    Tony Blair’s son Ewan was sent to the White House as an intern when he was 19 yrs old just when the war started.

  14. Check out the new DVD that explains why congress is refusing to protect our borders even 6 years after the devastating impact of 9/11 movie is “Endgame: Blueprint for Global Enslavement” available at netflix

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