THE COST OF GETTING OUT OF DODGE.

(Casualties.org, Gopal Ratnam Bloomberg, Anti War.com

(Frazer Chronicle)

 

Well there you have it, the running cost of the war in Afghanistan is $628,211,748,650 and change, I don’t even know what that figure represents let alone how to say it…..but it’s more money than every person that I have met during the entirety of my life, that includes the two millionaires that I know…..and that I have been trying to hit up for a loan.

 

Many, many people talk about the cost of the war on terror with regards to the dollar amount, as do I, however there is a bigger cost, and one that in the end will be more demoralizing, the human factor. Thus far, in Afghanistan 2,220 U.S. soldiers have perished from a war that has turned for just, to revenge, to let’s get out, to the bizarre.

 

Let’s see, we routed the Taliban, we established the kind of government that we can manipulate and we murdered Osama bin Laden…..case closed, victory in our time, good bye, and no, (I won’t let the door hit me in the butt on my way out).

 

It doesn’t matter the reason that we are still in this little flea bitten sand pit of a country which I find reprehensible, it’s now the price-tag that is being put on an impending move, or draw-down! It absolutely ludicrous, these powers that be want to continue a military presence in the Middle East, a footprint if you will, and the cost isn’t an issue.

 

The U.S. has 2,220, the United Kingdom 444 and the rest of the coalition of the willing another 641…..a total of 3,305. The totals for 2013, which are factored in with the 3,305 total is 46 American, 6 United Kingdom and 4 other. It’s how they list the fatalities, (other)…..I just report the totals. My point is a simple one, the human cost, and the cost of a nations treasury is never ever justified, things do not change that much.

 

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME STAGGERING STATISTIC

Strap in boobies, this ride is going to be a bumpy one with sharp curves and deep pot-holes, so keep your cup holders in the upright position as we count the U.S. death toll!

World War 2, 418,500

World War 1, 116,708

Vietnam, 58,282

Korean Conflict, (war) 54,246

Iraqi War, 4,486

Afghanistan, 2,220

 

Wounded military from all 20^th wars, conflicts, and whatever covert activity is listed as police activity, which I think is the U.S. military’s way of listing other either casualties or wounded.

 

World War 2, 670,846

World War 1, 205,690

Vietnam, 153,303

Korean Conflict, (war), 92,134

Iraq, 31,965

Afghanistan, 9,971

 

To put this carnage into proper perspective, picture Tucson, Arizona and all of its suburbs…..dead or dying scattered around in grotesque form, it’s not pretty is it? Tucson is close to 500,000 population today and war deaths have accounted for 654,442 deaths.

 

Now let’s travel to Dallas, Texas, home of the 10 gallon hat and Jerry Jones, and his Cowboys football team, with a population of 1.2 million. Then think of almost every citizen limping around with a crutch, or making their way in a wheelchair. There would be about 800,000 to care for those for all the wounded in the wars from World War 1 to the present Afghanistan. That’s right, 1,163,909 men and women were, are, or will be wounded from wars, disgusting ain’t it!

 

AND HOW COME THE U.S. ALWAYS SUFFERS MORE

I’m not going to waste my time or yours by recounting the death standings that some people dwell on like it was some kind of standings for a fantasy sports league. I will simply state that with the exceptions of World War 1, and 2, the United States has spilt more blood than any other country, and of course has spent way more.

 

Somewhere along about the middle 1950’s America’s neo-conservative league was born, and the attitude of entitlements was also hatched. Then during the 1960’s our country became the police-men of the world, complete with whistle, handcuffs and nightsticks.

 

Nobody initially asked us for the position that we as a nation so quickly embraced, it started with pleading from Castro’s Cuba, and the millions upon millions that were lost by American industry with the rebel’s victory of Bautista’s dictatorship.

 

The new role was tested in the Bay of Pigs fiasco which was launched by the C.I.A. and the dismal defeat which taught the U.S. that in order for this new attitude to work properly, all of the country’s military would be necessary for victory.

 

The feeling and attitude spilled into Vietnam and again met with a staggering defeat at the hands of the rebel rabble with support from Communists countries. Lessons again were learned, and the U.S.’s military might would be enhanced because of the war.

 

The United States has been at war in some fashion for over a hundred years, it seems to be our elixir for life here in the good old United States of America. If times get tough, and the threat of austerity raises its ugly head, military motor heads literally drop the hammer on another patriotic cause…..we buy it, and it’s off to another conflict, more war machines and more killings and wounded.

 

During the early days of World War 2, a Japanese General involved with the planning of the attack talked about how Pearl Harbor might have “woken a sleeping giant.” It was true; World War 2 was an honorable retribution for the deaths of thousands of American citizens.

 

With little exception, wars that have been waged by the United States are play-ground stuff to military men who are deep inside the Pentagon, or those Neo-Cons who still hold the 50 something year old attitude that the United States is the world’s policeman, and that we are ordained somehow with the power to be the judge, jury and executioner over all worldly conflicts.

 

 

 

There is no coalition of the willing…..there really never was one, they went along because they knew that the United States was covering the bills, both with human beings and hard cold cash. For anybody to say that the cost of getting out of Afghanistan will cost $7 billion dollars is loony as hell, and is in need of an immediate brain transplant.

 

G.I.’s don’t know why they’re there, many military mucky-mucks don’t understand why there’re there, and a healthy percentage of the American public doesn’t know why we are still there. So why are we still there…..because there isn’t another readymade war to shift to…..it’s true, you read it here first.

 

But don’t worry, a new opponent is warming up in the bull-pen and will be ready in short order…..its how we rock.

 

HAVE A NICE DAY!