COSTS AND RISKS OF WAR IN IRAQ
Our country has preemptively attacked a soveign nation, waging full scale war on Iraq and it's peoples. As US residents, we must critically examine the risks, consequences, and justifications of this war. If we feel that this war, waged with our taxes and in our names, is unjust or unnecessary, we must organize to stop it. This page was produced to provide some information on this life and death decision.
- LIFE, HEALTH, AND ECONOMY
Loss of human life. Est. 200,000 Iraqis died in the Gulf War. Sanctions and devastation to infrastructure kill many more. UNICEF estimates over a million Iraqis have died from the U.S-led sanctions regime, half of them children. About 4,000 children die monthly from preventable diseases. Stephen Gowans (8/10/01) War would involve over 200,000 US ground troops. (K Pollack, former Iraq specialist, NSC, peace-action.org) There would be far higher US casualties than in the Gulf War.
Tax dollars could instead be spent to preserve and improve life. L. Lindsey, of the National Economic Council, estimated the war's cost at $100-200 billion (CATO, 9/16/02) Bush has requested $74.7 billion for just 6 months of occupation in Iraq, while elsewhere saying a US presence could be there for years. $100 billion could provide health care for five years to all uninsured children in the US. (National Priorities Project, 2002)
The war could raise gas prices and cause a recession. The chain reaction starts with a spike in the cost of oil, which in turn raises business costs, leads to possible unemployment, or simply makes it more expensive to heat our homes and run our cars. "There is considerable uncertainty about the amount of damage a conflict would do,’ says Nigel Pain of London's National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR). BBC News 9/8/02 "War with Iraq could spark recession"
- UNITED STATES’ CREDIBILITY
The US attack was unprincipled: the United States uses weapons of mass destruction and supports states which invade neighbors and have shameful human rights records. The US uses cluster bombs, causing mass destruction. Colombia, Israel and Egypt have poor human rights records, yet receive the most US military aid. As US allies, Israel invaded Lebanon, Iraq invaded Iran, and Iraq gassed 5,000 civilians. The US invaded countries, including Grenada, Iraq, Panama, and Afghanistan.
The US attack is illegal. UN Security Resolutions do not authorize military force in the case that Iraq doesn't allow inspectors. Under the UN Charter, many conditions must be met for use of force. The Security Council must explicitly authorize the use of force unless it is in immediate self-defense. The US is not under attack from Iraq, so it cannot claim self-defense under the UN Charter.
-CONSEQUENCES IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND WORLD-WIDE
The US attack could "open the gates of hell." "A US invasion of Iraq would likely lead to an outbreak of widespread anti-American protests throughout the Middle East, perhaps even attacks against American interests...[A]nger over US double standards regarding Israeli and Iraqi violations of UN Security Council resolutions and possession of weapons of mass destruction could reach a boiling point. The Arab foreign ministers warned that a US invasion of Iraq would 'open the gates of hell.' ("The Case Against War" Zunes, The Nation)
Replacing Hussein will be far harder than removing the Taliban or expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait. "The Taliban neither consolidated its hold nor built regular armed forces. [But] Iraq...has a strong state apparatus and a sizeable professional military." (Colin Powell)
Invading Iraq for any of the stated purposes sets a dangerous precedent. When the US invaded Iraq, claiming that it feels threatened by alleged weapons of mass destruction, it sets a precedent for wars between India and Pakistan, Russia and Georgia, or China and Taiwan.
- WEAPONS INSPECTIONS
There is no indication Hussein has weapons of mass destruction. "Iraq today is no longer a military threat to anyone. Intelligence agencies know this. All the conjectures about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq lack evidence." (Sponneck, UN humanitarian coordinator, Iraq ‘98-00, ‘01)
Hussein agreed to let inspectors in unconditionally, yet Bush rejected the offer, which suggests demands for inspection were mere pretexts to justify war. Iraq had offered to readmit UN weapons inspectors unconditionally. (9/16/02) The White House rejected the offer. (AP 9/16/02) Mainstream press has long recognized that these demands are excuses for war. "Conceivably, the Bush administration could muster some support by provoking a casus belli. This spring the UN Security Council is expecting to demand that Saddam allow in international arms inspectors to identify and eliminate his [Weapons of Mass Destruction]. Bush administration officials fear, however, that Saddam will play the fox and say yes." (Newsweek 3/4/02) The USA Today observed "Before resorting to military action, the administration wants to be able to say that it tried other options." Diplomatic efforts also provided time for the United States to prepare for military action. (3/27/02)
- IS THERE A TERRORIST CONNECTION?
There is no indication that there are links between Hussein and terrorists. "The Central Intelligence Agency has no evidence that Iraq has engaged in terrorist operations against the United States in nearly a decade, and the agency is convinced that Saddam Hussein has not provided chemical or biological weapons to al-Qaeda or related terrorist groups." (NYT 3/6/02)
- ENDING TYRANNY IN IRAQ?
There is no reason to believe a replacement regime would respect human rights. The US has never required its allies respect human rights. Bush Sr initiated the financing, intelligence and military help, which built up Saddam’s Iraq. (ABC Nightline, 6/9/92) Amnesty International noted that the US and other western governments ignored its reports of widespread human rights violations in Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war and its campaign on behalf of the thousands of unarmed Kurdish civilians killed in the 1988 attacks on Halabja.' (9/12/02)
-OTHER REASONS NOT TO WAGE WAR IN IRAQ-
Iraqi opposition doesn't support war. "We are not for blindly participating in any attack. We are not in favor of having a new dictatorship replacing the old one." (Kurdish leader Talabani 8/7/02)
Our allies overwhelmingly oppose a war. Nelson Mandela has stated that, "the attitude of the United States of America is a threat to world peace." (Newsweek 9/16/02)
The war seems designed to benefit oil and weapons companies. Cheney was the CEO of Halliburton, whose subsidiaries made $24m repairing damage from the Gulf War. (The Independent 9/15/2) Halliburton is a contractor for overseas troop support despite being investigated for fraud. Bush Sr. is Sr. Advisor to the Carlyle Group, a defense contractor, which signed a $665 million contract with the Army. It’s hard to imagine that these conflicts of interest and the $50m that oil and gas companies have contributed to political candidates since the 2000 election do not affect policy.
download this information as a pdf
more background information and analysis on the war against Iraq: download War Without Consent
additional articles by the same author: articles 1 | articles 2
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For more information on the issues please visit these sites:
National Network To End The War Against Iraq
Voices in the Wilderness
Nonviolence Web
Why War?
Move On
War Strike
Not in Our Name
Vote No War
Iraqi Civilian Body Count
Cities with Resolutions Against the War in Iraq
Garage Doors for Peace
No War Signs
Window Signs
Bumper Stickers
Pictures of Iraqi Children
Campus Antiwar Network (CAN)
The CAN website has the all the latest information on student antiwar organizing from across the country as well as organizing resources
United for Peace
info about upcoming global anti-war actions and background info on peace issues from national and international peace and social justice groups
Direct Action to Stop the War
although specific actions focus on the SF Bay Area, there are also many resources on how to take direct action in your own city, including a handbook
Bill Quigley's info about Iraq
Loyola law professor's website on Iraq, with photos, emails from Iraq, and dynamic flyers ready for posting everywhere
Electronic Iraq
"News portal on the US-Iraq crisis published by veteran antiwar campaigners Voices in the Wilderness and respected Middle East supplementary news publishers, the Electronic Intifada"
Iraq Crisis Backgrounder
pdf of background info on Iraq Crisis from MERIP (Middle East Research and Information Project)
Collateral Damage Report
A report by MedAct, a British doctor's organization, that estimates the health and environment costs of a war on Iraq
Depleted Uranium Education Project
info about US use of depleted uranium in attacks on Iraq and tragic health consequences
Burning Depleted Uranium: An Endless Medical Disaster
more info on use and horrific health consequences of weapons with depleted uranium
Iraq Journal
a collection of regular reports from Iraq
Iraq Peace Team
info about activists that are on the ground in Iraq in solidarity with the people of Iraq and working to prevent a US attack
ZNet Iraq Watch
regularly updated articles and commentary from Z Magazine
Infoshop Anti-War Network
Anarchist perspectives on fighting against war, militarism, and racism
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