As the American war in Iraq comes to an end, some troops find themselves grappling with a question that has dogged them through multiple deployments: Was the sacrifice worth the price that US forces paid here?
“I’ve had people come to me, ‘Why were we there? What did we do? Why did 4,000 die in Iraq? Why did I lose my friend?’ ” says Lt. Col. Mark Rowan, an Air Force chaplain who has served 12 deployments and who has counseled troops returning from Iraq. “We don’t really know the answer to that yet.”
Commanders say it’s a question that they can’t readily answer, either. “My opinion about sacrifice is that it’s a very personal thing,” says Maj. Gen. Russell Handy, the senior US Air Force officer in Iraq. To pronounce whether the war was “worth it,” he says, would mean “putting words in the mouths of family members” who continue to mourn for loved ones.
Beyond those directly connected with the war, few Americans will ever understand the scale of loss for the US military, many here also believe.It’s “almost impossible for the American people to comprehend the level of sacrifice” that US troops have made in this war, says Handy.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, flying into Baghdad for the official “close of mission” ceremony Thursday, addressed the troops, as well as the question that many silently ask themselves.
“To be sure, the cost was high,” he said. But “those lives were not lost in vain: They gave birth to an independent, free, and sovereign Iraq.”
US forces who have been working with their Iraqi counterparts up until their last hours here wrestle with whether America did indeed accomplish what it set out to do.
They wonder, too, whether the answer to the war's worthiness hinges on another question – the question of, say, whether America won the war.
“We came to give them a democracy,” says Staff Sgt. Donald Rice of the 447th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron. “We gave them a chance at democracy. Was 4,400 lives worth the cost of giving them the chance at democracy?” he wonders.
“I’m not going to judge personal sacrifice,” says Handy, “but I can tell you it’s tremendously important for this country to be stable.” Iraq today has a “democratically elected and inclusive government,” he adds, and there remains hope for “what that might mean to the region,” as the Arab Spring enters the winter season.
Rowan, the chaplain, says he has fielded agonized questions from troops, particularly among those who have experienced the heartbreak of losing their comrades.
He recalls presiding at the moment of death of a soldier, a married father of three who was shot while out on a 2009 patrol in northern Iraq.
“I stayed with him and held his hand,” Rowan says, “and did all the last rites before he passed.”
When his fellow soldiers learned that he had died, “they exploded and threw their helmets down.”
They wondered, too, whether the war was worth this – the loss they witnessed again and again.
Rowan says that sometimes it helps to turn the question around: “I ask them, 'What do you think you accomplished there? For the Air Force, or outside the base, maybe you were part of a team that got terrorists out of a town. Were people able to live free again?' ”
The point, he says, is to focus on, “What good did you do there.” For America, for the politicians, he tells them, “History will decide the rest.”
57 comments:
This is one of the greatest accomplishments of Obama's foreign policy. He has finally been able to clean up one of what could be considered George Bush's worst mistakes.
Determining if the sacrifice was worth it is something that can only be answered by the people that served as they have the most experience. The war in Iraq is over is something I am sure every person in America has been wanting to say for a long time and now we finally can.
I have no personal connections to any soldiers, but it is hard not to question the war, given the number of deaths and anti-America backlashes. It was a noble pursuit and a selfless action, but now we are left to wonder whether the casualties considerably outweigh the achievements.
It is much too late for anyone to be asking why America and it's troops were in Iraq. For years, so many men and women lost their lives without fully knowing why. They fought for their country, all those that died and all those that lived. It seems the best immediate reaction would be to celebrate the homecoming of the soldiers that were in Iraq happily. It's a fortunate occurrence for them and their families, as well as the entire nation. As for the question of the war's purpose, the answer has always been, and still is, unclear. The reason for it's beginning is just as much of an enigma as it's end result. Only time will show us the entire result of the war that began in confusion and ended with many people coming home without knowing what they just fought for. Whether the new form of government adopted by Iraq will last, whether or not it will serve them well, and what this will mean for the United States are questions that cwon't have answers for an indefinite amount of time.
I am glad that the war is finally coming to a close but I don't think we are any better off now than we were before. Sure there is a "democracy" but Iraq is an entirely different country than the United States. There are different cultural, geographic, and religious identities. I'm afraid Iraq along with all these other middle eastern countries will never rest. So when the next conflict arises are we supposed to send our troops back? Well the way I see it is we either give it our all or don't go at all. We can't keep sending our troops whenever the political figures think we can "fix" someone else's problem.
Regardless of whether or not the Iraq war was "worth it," it is always nice to see a conflict come to a close. It is clear that Iraq has made a big step towards democracy and that we have played a big part of that step. There is no way of telling if democracy will work in Iraq, “History will decide the rest.”
I am and always will be proud of our troops and what they are willing to do. They are so brave in fighting for our country and for the democracy of Iraq. However, I do wonder how worth it was really to lose so many of our troops here.
i am happy our troops are back but i think it was necessary for our troops being there over the years seeing how unstable the middle east is, it may even be too soon we are pulling out from there. but i don't know we will see in the future.
I'm glad that the troops are coming back home. I honestly never knew that answer and I never really asked I didn't want to sound dumb, but I guess I wasn't the only wondering. The importance is that that troops are coming home where they belong after long war. I guess it's just going to take time time to answer that question, only the future could tell if all that sacrifice worth it. Atleast the US wont be spending as much money over seas and it gives a chance to get the economy a little stronger.
Mr perry I enjoyed this semester in your class I really wish it was a whole year and not just a semester. It was fun while it lasted and I really learned a lot on how the government works. I still think its not always fair but nothing really is in life. Thanks your class was great!
I'm very glad that the United States is finally done with the war on Iraq. Other than the removal of their malicious dictator, which was questionable(Are we the ones to take care of the world?), I don't feel like this war was necessary. Too many American lives were lost, and many citezens just took it for granted every day. But at least we have made the progressive move to finally withdraw.
Some people say that the war wasn't worth the fight and cost in lives, and other people say that it was well worth the risks. With the over 4000 dead US soldiers, the gain over the risk wasn't worth the reward that we got. The result is the free, independent Iraqi government. However one of the primary objectives of the war was to stop terrorism, but it simply moved to another location. The war's investment in human capital is too high but in reality what else can be done?
Each country certainly did slaughter an enormous number of people and some of the lucky soldiers and veterans that were able to return home are somewhat mentally disabled, injured, or even worse. If by helping Iraq gain democracy and losing over 4,000 soldiers while doing it is the sacrifice America made, then hopefully all the hard work our troops have done this past decade doesn’t go to waste. As for the troops, they accomplished more than what any average person can do in a lifetime, and for that I thank them. :)
To quote modern warfare 2, "the victor will decide what history will tell". Currently, I'm enlisted in the marines and waiting to go to bootcamp after graduation. This war issimilar in the sense that it can't be won. The terrorist and radicals are still there and won't leave. So did we win the war? What do we define as the war would be a better question. Did we spread democracy and freedom? Did we secure our foreign oil interests? Maybe that should be left to the individual to decide...
Many troops have died in Iraq and whether the sacrifices them and their families made every day was "worth it" will take years to conceive. It will depend on if Iraq can maintain their stable democracy, and if the safety of Americans and people all over the world,including Iraq, have a safer life. Whether we needed to be in Iraq or not is mute. We were there, and now we will have to deal with whatever comes out of this war, including the tremendous loss of life.
The loss of young lives who had so much more to give and do before their time was supposed to be called is always a travesty, but when our country sent these young men on a dangerous mission that we knew would end with losses, we have to wonder if the ends justified the means. After years of war and young men and women being taken from us, the ultimate goal we had and have reached, is to give Iraq a chance of democracy, much in the same ideal of that as our country was founded on. Many may question if there was no guarantee of the result, if the only guarantee we had for the loss of these lives was a chance at democracy, if it was worth it lose even one life. No one can answer that right now, with an answer that will satisfy the country, and the families who lost those special to them. Only by living into the future and seeing the results can we ever be sure if it was worth the risk, and only if it is a success will we be able to tell those families their kids changed the world in a great way.
The American people will never stop debating whether or not the war was worth all the heartache. Sure, finding the terrorists who dared to attacked us was a good reason to travel to the Middle East, but we should not have meddled in their affairs and especially not for that long. What I always have wondered is do the people we help in the East appreciate all the help we have given them, all the lives we have dedicated to freeing them? America gives and gives to the whole world, but if we were ever in trouble, who would come to our aid and for how long?
The American people will never stop debating whether or not the war was worth all the heartache. Sure, finding the terrorists who dared to attacked us was a good reason to travel to the Middle East, but we should not have meddled in their affairs and especially not for that long. What I always have wondered is do the people we help in the East appreciate all the help we have given them, all the lives we have dedicated to freeing them? America gives and gives to the whole world, but if we were ever in trouble, who would come to our aid and for how long?
I understand why troops are having second thoughts on the war and wondering if the war even helped America because of the large number of US military troops' lives lost and the question as to whether we won the war or not. The war will most likely impact the US (militarily, politically, and internationally) and the US citizens, especially the veterans in continuing their lives and getting over the losses of their comrades. Even though thousands of US troops have lost their lives to defend our country and have changed the lives of their loved ones, it is a relief that the war with Iraq has finally ended after so many years and that no more lives will be in danger because of the war.
A decade in Iraq and all we have to say is, ”Was it worth it?” What did we accomplish? We gave them a democracy they probably didn’t even want in the first place. We lost many men and women all for what purpose? Revenge or oil? Even the leading commanders of our military are in question of why we were there. It is true that those of us who were not directly affected by the war will never know the full impact or loss that it caused. For now though, I am just glad our troops are finally coming home from that pointless death trap.
To be able to say whether this war was worth it or not is a heavy statement. I have no personal experience of losing someone in Iraq, and while these losses seem incredibly sad and unneccesary we potentially freed a country and gave them the chance to be a demacracy. I think the war went on too long when you account for what we accomplished, but I would say that if America is now safe from terrorist attacks, then it was worth it.
I just want to start by saying that iam so gratefull that casualties were so low as compared to the other conflicts America has been in. Technology and other improvements have allowed us to save so many lives, and it has brought us a long way from say the trenches of WW1 or the beaches, and foxholes of WW2. America has always been ready to pay that price and give that effort in order to seccure our freedom and the freedom of others around the world. In WW2, 19,000 men lost thier lives in the Battle of the Bulge alone. Thats just one battle! Its sad that anyoneone has to fight or give thier lives, but that how this world is, and as long as it exist war will be the judge of many issues, world peace is a distant dream that will never come to surface. As for whether these 4,000 men gave thier lives in Iraq for nothing is something that burns me up to hear anyone say. Saddam Hussein posed a threat not only to the U.S. but to other countries. Whether he had Weapons of mass destruction or not the point is he made comments that he did and was interested in developing the technology further,as well as was non-comliant with rules, regulations, and resolutions on weapons of mass destruction. Donald Rumsfeld put it this way in 2002, "No living dictator has shown the murderous combination of intent and capability -- of aggression against his neighbors; oppression of his own people; genocide; support of terrorism; pursuit of weapons of mass destruction; the use of weapons of mass destruction; and the most threatening hostility to its neighbors and to the United States, than Saddam Hussein and his regime." In 1998, Nancy Pelosi stated, " Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." These are very serious issues and now they are no longer threats. America is in a time where much of the world is against her and to exstinguish any threat or rising threat is a smart move. These soldiers did not die in vain, they eliminated a threat, and helped spread the love of freedom and security that so many Americans take for granted. Iam afraid however that as this country continues to act as it is we will soon loose if we have not already lost the will to fight and the ability to affectively defened ourselves against imposing countries and even more importantly, our own people.
I just want to start by saying that iam so gratefull that casualties were so low as compared to the other conflicts America has been in. Technology and other improvements have allowed us to save so many lives, and it has brought us a long way from say the trenches of WW1 or the beaches, and foxholes of WW2. America has always been ready to pay that price and give that effort in order to seccure our freedom and the freedom of others around the world. In WW2, 19,000 men lost thier lives in the Battle of the Bulge alone. Thats just one battle! Its sad that anyoneone has to fight or give thier lives, but that how this world is, and as long as it exist war will be the judge of many issues, world peace is a distant dream that will never come to surface. As for whether these 4,000 men gave thier lives in Iraq for nothing is something that burns me up to hear anyone say. Saddam Hussein posed a threat not only to the U.S. but to other countries. Whether he had Weapons of mass destruction or not the point is he made comments that he did and was interested in developing the technology further,as well as was non-comliant with rules, regulations, and resolutions on weapons of mass destruction. Donald Rumsfeld put it this way in 2002, "No living dictator has shown the murderous combination of intent and capability -- of aggression against his neighbors; oppression of his own people; genocide; support of terrorism; pursuit of weapons of mass destruction; the use of weapons of mass destruction; and the most threatening hostility to its neighbors and to the United States, than Saddam Hussein and his regime." In 1998, Nancy Pelosi stated, " Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." These are very serious issues and now they are no longer threats. America is in a time where much of the world is against her and to exstinguish any threat or rising threat is a smart move. These soldiers did not die in vain, they eliminated a threat, and helped spread the love of freedom and security that so many Americans take for granted. Iam afraid however that as this country continues to act as it is we will soon loose if we have not already lost the will to fight and the ability to affectively defened ourselves against imposing countries and even more importantly, our own people.
Many people will argue whether or not sending troops to Iraq was worth it or not, it's just based on who's point of view your looking from. If your looking from the stand point of a family that sent a family member to Iraq and that family member died , they might not think that sending their loved one was worth it.Versus a family who had a family member who went to Iraq and they came back alive and well might think that it was worth fighting for. Different people will have their own opinions based on their own experiences so America might never know if independent, free, and sovereign Iraq was worth all of the American lives lost.
i understand that we need our troops stationed where ever they need them at, but also they don't need to be there if they don't need them there. Many people are dying that should still be with us because there was no point in sending them out. I feel asa though we should send them out when we actually need them at the most. They should be sent when it's life or death at stake. The peole are dying because people in iraq are killing them by street explosions and they should just not be there unless war is at stake.
i understand that we need our troops stationed where ever they need them at, but also they don't need to be there if they don't need them there. Many people are dying that should still be with us because there was no point in sending them out. I feel asa though we should send them out when we actually need them at the most. They should be sent when it's life or death at stake. The peole are dying because people in iraq are killing them by street explosions and they should just not be there unless war is at stake.
I wish people were actually able able to answer the questions that were stated in this article. When they are unable to answer those important questions, it makes me feel like the war they have fought is or was completely pointless. But then again people lost their lives and sacrificed everything to fight for our country, and I'm very thankful for that. I really do like the question that Rowan asked the soldiers, "What good did you do there?", because he's right, I really do think that's the only thing that matters. The difference that they made in people's lives and for our country is what matters the most.
I am extremely happy that the troops are coming home but I feel that the region is not stable enough to support itself and fear that we may return soon. America shouldn't push our government on other countries due to the fact we have our own economic problems, illegal assembly, and violence in our country.
Im glad to see the American war in Iraq finally come to an end. 4,000 of our soldiers died in Iraq and for what? Some may say that it was all worth it because it gave birth to an independent, free and sovereign Iraq but i think there was an unnecessary amount of money and times spent on our occupation over there.
Even though about 4,400 people died at Iraq trying to set up a democracy, they will always be remembered for their valiant efforts. I personally found no point to shipping off the soldiers to Iraq in the first place. Yes, U.S. lives were taken away during the 9/11 terrorist attack, however, the U.S. knew that Iraq's government was already corrupted before then. Why did the United States believe that using force would convince Iraq to think otherwise? Sacrificing about 4,400 lives in order to make the U.S.'s point is highly unacceptable, but what's done is done. I am glad and happy for the soldiers and commanders that are getting shipped back to their homes and being able to see their family again.
Hooray for the troops leaving! As for what they were fighting for, I've been wondering why for years. All I've ever heard is "We're fighting against terrorism!" Really, what does being at war with specific countries have to do with terrorism? Sure, the bad guys got killed -- that did not require a full-scale war. Later, I also heard "We're helping Iraq have a stable government!" I understand, the US is like the police of the planet, helping everyone they can. It worked great in World War II, but not in Vietnam and not in Iraq. The difference? Vietnam and Iraq didn't want our help. How were we "helping" a country by tearing it up through war? Still, that does not undermine the honor of the soldiers who died doing what they believed in -- the protests at soldiers' funerals are terrible. Thank goodness we're finally leaving, so that our troops will be safe.
So, the war is effectively over. Good. But what happens now? Well, Iran plans to mow Iraq out of the way on their way to Israel, that's what.
http://tinyurl.com/7j2sg8o
On top of that, the Muslim Brotherhood is now in control in Egypt and will probably slide into power in Libya. Let's look at a map, shall we?
http://tinyurl.com/6mvdsv5
Israel is effectively surrounded by countries under the control of groups that hate them.
The US has pledged to protect Israel. We can not go back on that promise, or the rest of the world will both stop trusting us and suffer. So I think the peace were about to experience will be a fleeting one at best, and a false one at worst.
Wow, all these years and the Iraqi War just now ends. I can hardly believe it. It's hard to say if the war was worth it. Sure a lot of people died just to give another country a chance at democracy but then again, didn't thousands of people die for our country's democracy in the beginning? I'm not saying that its ok to just allocate more troops to more foreign lands with the hope of accomplishing democracy for everybody but I'd personally say that this was worth it. There death was not in vain. There was much doubt for the US in our beginning, if we could stand strong to the world powers, but we eventually succeded. Hopefully Iraq maintain's a democracy and doesn't fall like other countries when they develop a weak government.
The question over whether the thousands of deaths were in vain will be answered only when the Iraqi government can adequately control the unrest in the north and reign in the MP's in their parliament who threaten to quit. Belgium went over a year without a stable government until recently, imagine if that happened in the most unstable regions in the world.
This is wonderful. All the troops deserve to leave that filthy place and spend Christmas with their families. I am surprised Obama actually went through with this. And was the war worth the price? Well, that's a tough question. There have been many accomplishments along with many tragedies.
I am EXTREMELY glad that the troops are FINALLY coming home. I'm glad that more of them don't have to lose their lives and that they get to go back to their loving homes to family and friends. I understand the initial point of having the troops go over there but as the years passed it was clear that we weren't exactly getting the results that we had hoped for. Did 4,000+ soldiers REALLY have to die for this? Did they? Well thank God that Obama kept true to his word about bringing the troops home! I'm very sure that the husbands, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, etc. of those returning will be very, very grateful for this!
For most Americans, the state of the Iraq government and the "benefits" to Iraq that have supposedly come from the war, have considerably less influence on their opinion of it than what directly affects them, such as the losses of loved ones. (Especially losses so substantial.) This can be said not only of those here in the States, but apparently from those actually in Iraq. It isn't surprising that personal losses outweigh overall gain in the minds of these individuals, because the "overall gain" seems to be unknown by most. From what I can tell, they don't deny the existence of a bigger picture, they're just oblivious as to what that picture actually is. And if those so near and involved in the actual going-ons can be so oblivious, then how can any substantial improvements have occurred? When we don't even know what exactly has been gained in exchange for "the sacrifice/the price paid", then it can't be worth it.
Also, I'm digging the Grateful Dead.
Whether or not the war was worth the lives of 4,400 people- I believe it cannot be determined yet. It is much too soon, and it will be a while before we are able to see if the efforts of the troops really payed off. I believe that it is indeed a good thing to sacrifice for a country to become free, sovereign, and independent, and because it is extremely important for Iraq to be safe, but whether it was worth the lives lost and were not in vain, that, as Rowan says, "Is for history to decide.
I'd still say that it's too soon to tell if the war was worth it. We're not sure if Iraq will actually empower democracy and abide by it. Hopefully, in the end, the war will have been worth it. You can't expect to gain anything without losing something first.
Whether the war was worth it or not is something we can not yet determine. It is much too soon, and time is needed to see if it was truly effective. I believe it's admirable to sacrifice for a country to be free, sovereign, and independent, especially for a country like Iraq, which needs to be stable. However, whether the war was really worth the lives of 4,400 people, and were not in vain, is, like Rowan says, for history and time to decide.
I agree with the "History will decide the rest." statement.. We'll just have to see how this whole mess in Iraq will go over/make an impact on the future of America.
I personally believe that the withdrawal of troops from Iraq is long overdue. I had a family friend that served there for a year and a half, and he said that there was little to be done. The media mainly blew the few riots out of perportion. The loss outweighs the things we gained. Yes, we killed two of the main leaders of the terrorism, but was it really worth the thousands of lives lost? They fought for our country, but this war should have ended a long time ago. How much has the US done this past month that the new democracy couldn't have done themselves?
The War in Iraq was a lot like the war in Vietnam. Since the people of America didn't fully get behind the government's decision to war against the enemy America lost many troops and people in the battleground. This only goes to show that no matter how powerful a nation, without unity they will never be able to win.
At the begining of this article is asks a question: why are we there? Meaning why were we fighting in Iraq. Well after so many years we still dont have the answer, which means that America was.pretty much just being a bully and killing them. Pointless.
I don't believe that we really did accomplish anything in the war in Iraq, they still hate the U.S..So I guess history will answer whether the war was worth really being there.
I don't think it's any use thinking about if putting troops in Iraq was worth it. Soldiers have died and hypotheticals are counterproductive. I mean, what's done is done and all we really have to do is move on. We should look for the good in their presence in Iraq.Iraq now has some democracy instead of the dictatorship the Iraqi people have dealt with in the past. I don't really know how much that impacts people and the course of their lives but life should be better for Iraqis from now on. We should quit complaining about what a bad decision putting the troops in Iraq was. It's way too late for that. What we can do now is look for what good came out of it. Not that it'll be quite as easy for those who have lost loved ones. But for those of us who are just observing, let's get over it.
I understand that it's important that Iraq is a democracy but this war seems to be an awful lot like the rather fruitless war in Vietnam. The US tries to be the world's police, but it's leaving us spread thin. Is another country's benefit worth the weakening of the US?
It is my opinion US troops should not have been deployed to Iraq in the first place. However I agree with the articles point that it is impossible for people outside of the war to judge whether it was a worth it or not. We can not place a value on the lives lost despite the democracy Iraq has gained.
Whether or not the war was successful is not what is important. It's in the past, and the only thing we can do now is hope for the best possible outcome, concerning Iraq's fledgling democracy. I can't imagine the grief experienced by the loved ones of lost soldiers, but i hope that it is of some consolation to them that our soldiers fought and died to free a country from tyranny and evil.
Perhaps it is unwise of the U.S. to pull out and leave the results of much sacrifice up to chance. However, it is now time for the iraqi people to handle things on their own so that the american people can mourn our dead and begin to recooperate from the many years of war.
With so many people questioning whether the war was worth it or not, I dont think it was. Especially since they cannot answer whether it was worth it or not right now. Yes those soldiers put their life on the line and will forever be remembered and we are all thankful for them. But we shouldnt have lost them, at least not for just a chance at democracy.
I think the most important thing here, is not whether it was worth it or not, but that they're coming home. Those that survived are finally able to rejoin their families, and those that unfortunately did not...well, their families know they died for their country and are out of their misery.
I believe that they did not die in vain, because of the lifes they would have been in now. Maybe if we did not go down there and help created their democracy the iraqi people would of still been under Suddan Hussien and none of the bad stuff would have happen to the them. Theirs always the bad in everything but what always stands out is what good they have done for our country, what they did to make us better?!
Even though many lives were lost and much sacrifice was made, I do not believe we would have any idea on whether or not the "war was worth the sacrifice" unless we were actually someone or knew someone that was apart of this war. It seems unfair and not worth it when we see it from the outside perspective but we won't ever know what our soldiers and their families thought. It is very heart breaking to know that we lost more than "4,000" people due to the war but we simply have to do as Rowan said and think of "what good did you do there".
Like many soldiers I'm wondering what was really accomplished. The united states can't afford to continue to be the worlds police officer. We can't keep butting in and imposition our will on everyone. It's nice that we gave Iraq the chance at a democracy but what happens if they don't change do we go back to war?
Was the war in Iraq worth it? only time will tell, we do not yet know if our fight for democracy in their country was won. It does seem like a victory however that our troops were pulled from the country. Many lives have been saved because of that move. We will no longer be losing American lives far from our soil. Hopefully time will show us that this is the blessing it appears to be and that we are not counting our eggs before they hatch.
It's really up to the American people to decide if the war was won or not. The government doesn't have a say in this matter, they can try to convince the people, but loss or triumph is an emotional state. It is also an individual choice, because everyone would judge by different standards. For one person it could of been completely worth it. and to another it could be the worst failure. History will take the majority view and write that as the answer to whether that cost of the war was worth it or not.
Now that US troops are back without an answer that seems to make the 4400 losses even more depressing. But in time an answer should appear, a democracy was brought to Iraq and from a counseling point of view, families who have lost loved ones must remember they helped in keeping the US stable and helped people living in Iraq bringing hope to another country. No one knows if a democracy and hope was worth 4,400 lives from the US but history will tell us the answer. It is sad that so many have died and families are mourning, I hope good comes out of this for Iraq and the United States and no more soldiers die in Iraq.
Post a Comment