The Total Cost Of War

The total cost of war can never be figured in dollars and cents. Sure you need this many troops, guns, personell carriers, tanks, helicopters, planes, and the support mechanisms to keep them operational. But what about the hidden costs of war? The ones the government doesn't tell us about beforehand, the ones we find out about along the way?

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a real issue, but it doesn't just affect combat veterans. It affects their families and childeren as well. We may still not have lost 4,000 lives of Americans in Iraq yet, but number of wounded is staggering. Think of the families and childeren of those who have died, or been disabled. These are the beginings of the total cost of war.

The Iraq and Afghanistan wars are on track to last longer than America's involvement in World War II. In this "great war" we also fought in two theaters, but look at the difference. In WWII rationing and conservation were not just patriotic, but a necessity. Our country asks what it can do in this war, Bush tells them to go shopping. Our govenment led us into wars that the people don't have the will to win.

The total cost of war will be found when we pull out, give up, and are no better off than we were to start with. All the years of sacrifices made by our troops will be for nothing.

In the end, we must not forget to honor them for their sacrifices. Nor blame them for the total cost of war.