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shadowkatRead an interesting survey on the Iraq War in the Metro - a free paper that is handed to me whenever I enter the subway in the morning on the way to work. It's an actual newspaper, with articles from AP sources and is actually more objective than most of the other newspapers in NYC.
The survey asked people in NYC what they thought of the war and certain questions regarding how much the US spent, how many people died, how much it was and would cost us, and whether it would end anytime soon. The survey also checked Associated Press facts and research - comparing the Iraq War with previous Wars fought by the US.
1. The human cost of war:
3,988 members of the US Military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes eight military civilians. At least 3,421 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.
In Vietnam - the US lost on average about 4,850 troops a year from 1963-1975.
In Korea - the US lost about 12,300 soliders a year from 1950-1953.
The number of death in Iraq of coalition forces not including US troops - 302.
Total number of coalition forces deaths to date in Iraq - 4,290.
2. The cost of war:
The original Bush administration projection of the war's cost - 50-60 billion
Cost to the treasury so far of the war in Iraq according to the AP - 500-600 billion
Projected cost for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan until 2017, by the Congressional Budget Office - 1.2 -1.7 trillion.
The amount Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz says the war will cost the US by 2017 - 3 trillion.
Monthly cost to the treasury of the war in Iraq - 12 billion
3. Iraqi deaths due to the US invasion to date - 1,189,173 - source: justforeignpolicy.org
(Most common answer in the survey? 100,000)
4. How many US military personnel have served in Iraq in the last five years?
Most common answer - 500,000.
Correct answer: 1.2 million
5. How many countries are in the US-led coalition?
Most common answer - 5
Correct answer - 30 sent troops
6. President Bush claims that the expenditure for the Iraq war has kept us safe from terrorism at home. Has this amount been necessary to keep us safe?
80% of those surveyed said no.
8% said yes
and 12% have no idea
7. Should the President communicate directly with al-Quaida?
43% said yes, 57% said no.
8. Do you believe the US will attack Iran before the general election in November?
30% said yes, 70% said no.
9. Would you like to have more ways to personally sacrifice for the war effort?
27% said yes, 73% said no.
10. Have you personally known anyone who served in Iraq?
46% said yes, 54% said no.
Finally - here's the length of US involvement in all the major wars it has fought.
Gulf War - 7 months
Mexican-American War - 1 year, 5 months
World War I- 1 year, 6 months
War of 1812 - 2 years, 6 months
Woorld War II- 3 years, 8 months
Civil War - 4 years
Iraq War- 5 years (and counting)
Vietnam War - 8 years
Revolutionary War - 8 years, 5 months
Korean War isn't counted because it was not considered a war so much as a police action.
Source: The Metro - the world's largest global newspaper - with more than 18.5 million daily readers in 93 major cities in 21 countries. Go to www.metrolifepanel.com for online information.
The survey asked people in NYC what they thought of the war and certain questions regarding how much the US spent, how many people died, how much it was and would cost us, and whether it would end anytime soon. The survey also checked Associated Press facts and research - comparing the Iraq War with previous Wars fought by the US.
1. The human cost of war:
3,988 members of the US Military have died since the beginning of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes eight military civilians. At least 3,421 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers.
In Vietnam - the US lost on average about 4,850 troops a year from 1963-1975.
In Korea - the US lost about 12,300 soliders a year from 1950-1953.
The number of death in Iraq of coalition forces not including US troops - 302.
Total number of coalition forces deaths to date in Iraq - 4,290.
2. The cost of war:
The original Bush administration projection of the war's cost - 50-60 billion
Cost to the treasury so far of the war in Iraq according to the AP - 500-600 billion
Projected cost for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan until 2017, by the Congressional Budget Office - 1.2 -1.7 trillion.
The amount Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz says the war will cost the US by 2017 - 3 trillion.
Monthly cost to the treasury of the war in Iraq - 12 billion
3. Iraqi deaths due to the US invasion to date - 1,189,173 - source: justforeignpolicy.org
(Most common answer in the survey? 100,000)
4. How many US military personnel have served in Iraq in the last five years?
Most common answer - 500,000.
Correct answer: 1.2 million
5. How many countries are in the US-led coalition?
Most common answer - 5
Correct answer - 30 sent troops
6. President Bush claims that the expenditure for the Iraq war has kept us safe from terrorism at home. Has this amount been necessary to keep us safe?
80% of those surveyed said no.
8% said yes
and 12% have no idea
7. Should the President communicate directly with al-Quaida?
43% said yes, 57% said no.
8. Do you believe the US will attack Iran before the general election in November?
30% said yes, 70% said no.
9. Would you like to have more ways to personally sacrifice for the war effort?
27% said yes, 73% said no.
10. Have you personally known anyone who served in Iraq?
46% said yes, 54% said no.
Finally - here's the length of US involvement in all the major wars it has fought.
Gulf War - 7 months
Mexican-American War - 1 year, 5 months
World War I- 1 year, 6 months
War of 1812 - 2 years, 6 months
Woorld War II- 3 years, 8 months
Civil War - 4 years
Iraq War- 5 years (and counting)
Vietnam War - 8 years
Revolutionary War - 8 years, 5 months
Korean War isn't counted because it was not considered a war so much as a police action.
Source: The Metro - the world's largest global newspaper - with more than 18.5 million daily readers in 93 major cities in 21 countries. Go to www.metrolifepanel.com for online information.
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no subject
Date: 2008-03-23 03:30 pm (UTC)Odd.
Not even their parents? Relatives? Friends?
People they work with? Neighbors?
I'm wondering if they do and don't know it.
That's possible.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-23 04:46 pm (UTC)What struck me was how many people did know someone who went to Iraq. I've known quite a few people - including my downstairs neighbor who is a member of the National Guard.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-23 07:39 pm (UTC)I've been listening to tons of interviews with this team of economists, and the numbers they crunched to come up with this figure are all the most-conservative possible of the potential usable range.
I can't believe how close the past 8 years have gotten to reducing me to utter despair.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-25 01:50 am (UTC)The last eight years have felt a bit like pushing a rock up hill only to have it roll down again. Race after it and push it up, but this round attempt a different path. Yet, still it rolls down that damn hill again.
There are days like today that I feel tired and wonder why I bother. Other's in which I feel energized and full of hope. Two weeks ago I felt hopeful, this week tired and weary. And watching the election...sigh.
I know I can't bear the idea of another Republican becoming President. Because if that happens, we will have another five years of war, go to war with Iran, and watch our country become a very poor one - without being able to do anything to stop it - while the billionaires jet off to other countries on their yachts and do their charity work in Africa admist much fanfare. Not appearing to care about the homeless on the streets of NYC or the unemployed or the people dying in Iraq.
Don't get me wrong - I do care about the charity work in Africa and want it to continue, but...why can't they expend a little effort to help the people in the US? Give a bit more of their taxes as opposed to letting the middle class and poor carry the burden?
This is what will happen if McCain becomes President. And I just don't want to watch it happen. The idea of it makes me tired.