Iraq War's Cost: Loss Of US Power, Prestige And Influence

McClatchy:

It was a decision that only President Bush had the power to make: At about 9 a.m. on March 19, 2003, in the Situation Room in the basement of the West Wing of the White House, he gave the "execute order" to begin Operation Iraqi Freedom, the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Now, five years later, the consequences of that act will soon be beyond Bush's grasp. In 10 months, they'll land on the desk of his successor.

Thanks in part to the Iraq war, the next U.S. president -- Republican or Democrat, black or white, man or woman -- will take office with America's power, prestige and popularity in decline, according to bipartisan reports, polls and foreign observers.
Coming on Monday: Daily life in Baghdad.

"The winner of the 2008 elections will command U.S. forces still at war in Iraq, Afghanistan and against elusive terrorists with a deadly reach. The U.S. economy will remain burdened. ... America's moral leadership and decision-making competence will continue to be questioned," begins a study of foreign-policy choices for the next president, which a Georgetown University task force released last month.

"Restored respect will come only with fresh demonstrations of competence," the study said.

The numbers don't inspire confidence: Oil prices are at an all-time high, the dollar at new lows against the euro. Surveys find the United States' popularity and respect slipping in every part of the globe except Africa. A poll of 3,400 active and retired U.S. military officers by Foreign Policy magazine found that 88 percent agreed with the statement that "The war in Iraq has stretched the U.S. military dangerously thin."

Read the whole story: McClatchy

Comments

[JAMES GORMAN]

02:03 PM on 03/17/2008

aye st.patrick day again, no less---and five years since on this very day we lauched the unlucky
and ill-fated war. bombs kill 54 whilte that decorated hero and strategist, r.cheney is visiting,
all to tell us we must have what--10,25or 50 years of this to "clear el quaida out"--the whole
thing is as silly as an englishman talking about the glories of their parliament after starving
to death a whole nation of Irish for three centuries. we are heirs to a host of lies,
and this day reminds us how vicious and deadly most of them are. most of the irish who
came here, including me own grand-father, got told "no Irish need apply" and " no pope here"--we
were the right white color, but the wrong religion,ya know. I quite agree with Michelle Obama--
most of my adult life has been spent ashamed of this country and its sterling,British
"heritage"--maybe if we all go under with the stock market, poverty will put some sense back into
our heads. j.mc cormick

[Durango]

10:40 AM on 03/17/2008

Why don't we follow the Japanese model?

After WW II the peace treaty forbid the establishment of the Japanese Army and Navy. Instead Japan took all that money that would have been wasted on the military and used it to develop their economy.

They discovered that you don't need to colonize other countries, and that the expense of a military is simply wasted effort. In fact you can BUY ANYTHING YOU NEED.
War is very,very bad for business.

And there is ALWAYS someone willing to sell, if you offer a good price.

China appears to be following this model as well.

[planetfotheApes]

11:39 AM on 03/17/2008

That is one of the many reasons we are in Iraq. The elite, the central bankers, the Bush's and Clinton's ect. use war to enrich themselves and to bleed the extra wealth from the country. The war is funded though deficit spending which is a silent tax affecting the poor most significantly. War spending helps keep the poor, poor and the middle class declining.

Face it, our rulers are really waging war against the American poor and middle class.

Guess who has received the most contributions from the defense industry? Hillary Clinton.

[eliandbo]

11:40 AM on 03/17/2008

This is the Republican's dream, to make the USA a third world nation.
By bankrupting this country, they can get rid of Social Security and the other safety nets and create a lot of cheap labor out of the retired people.
Please don't forget, Hillary Clinton is a Rerublican.

[OkieMon]

10:18 AM on 03/17/2008

how about a million dead and the rise in oil from 20 bucks to 110 bucks and the resultant collapse of the world economy? all bushco/chainey doing?

[timothe]

02:41 PM on 03/17/2008

The million dead you refer to is actually 94,000 according to a McClatchy article posted on this site today. Why are you exaggerating the death toll?

[timothe]

02:46 PM on 03/17/2008

In fact, it is THIS McClatchy article that states the 94,000 number of Iraqis killed in combat. Just follow the link to read the rest of the story. There is a chart with all of the pertinent costs of the war.

[OkieMon]

03:18 PM on 03/17/2008

i just happen to believe the johns hopkins study because its well...johns hopkins.

[Macready]

06:41 AM on 03/17/2008

""The winner of the 2008 elections will command U.S. forces still at war in Iraq, Afghanistan and against elusive terrorists with a deadly reach. The U.S. economy will remain burdened. ... America's moral leadership and decision-making competence will continue to be questioned," begins a study of foreign-policy choices for the next president, which a Georgetown University task force released last month." and that in an understatement . . . the status quo will not suffice .. . America has to change its international strategy big time . . . the failure to impeach should be added to this list ... it shows an America totally lacking in credibility ... a country that no longer respects rule of law and its own Constitution .. .

[Pollwatcher]

05:25 AM on 03/17/2008

The intellectually challenged and morally bankrupt George W Bush is a war criminal of the first order. Why this man is not impeached is totally beyond me.

[Sandmann]

11:05 PM on 03/16/2008

You know, I remember back in the '80s (I was born in 1973), when the world as a whole respected us. An example than most can relate to is during Olympic contests...when America came out the whole world cheered for us, not because they wanted us to dominate the contests, but because they recognized that we held ourselves to a higher standard and that no matter what kind of society that they were brought up in, in front of their faces was a country that gave it's citizens the freedom they deserved to pursue whatever dreams they wanted. Now, with the Iraq war, and upcoming Iran conflict - - with our own freedoms being taken away under the guise of "security" and "terror", other countries being invaded without provocation, our willingness to allow this to happen - - even backing these kind of atrocities, and we wonder why the world is disappointed, even disdainful.

Some of you won't care, but don't forget that we are not the only country to exist on this planet, China is moving forward to become the next Superpower while the value of the dollar value drops to new lows (Has anyone else noticed commercials asking to send in your scrap gold for money?) J.P. Morgan buying Bear for pennies on the dollar? Ask your grandparents if this brings back any memories from 1913-1925, and question them as to what happened, why the US Dollar was backed in gold and is now legal tender.

Folks, you'd best realize that our freedom depends on the rest of the world as much as it does on our laws here. We are not separate from the rest of the world, we are part of a global family - - Assuming we are the father figure, the children will emulate what their parents do. So don't complain when it comes back to bite you in the ass.

[EinChicago]

08:19 AM on 03/17/2008

Ummm. I was born in 1973 also.; however, I was born in teh UK and grew up in Europe. Your perception is way off. Bush has done massive damage to US respect and prestige, no question. But if you think it's bad now, the rest of the world hated and looked down upon the US even more during teh days of Ronnie Raygun. And, much like Bush, under Raygun oil and gold soared to new highs, and US prestige dropped to new lows. Clinton turned that around pretty effectively once before. A Dem president will do so again. It's not hopeless, but it is always darkest right before the dawn.

[ajax2]

10:21 PM on 03/16/2008

Iraq War's Cost: Loss Of US Power, Treasury, Prestige And Influence, Respect, Life, Democracy, and Children's Future.

[degjack]

10:19 PM on 03/16/2008

Oh, and let's not forget...............THE MONEY!!

[Erdgeist]

10:18 PM on 03/16/2008

Bush, all through his life, has failed to live up to his own expectations and those of his family. It is not surprising to those who never voted for Bush that the U.S. is on the verge of collapse. I plan to open a bottle of campaign when this country falls; to celebrate its demise; and then raise my class to the true Americans who will build a new Republic based on virtue instead of bigotry and greed.

[JoeBlough]

10:17 PM on 03/16/2008

We need to turn this occupation over to a financially stronger country. America can no longer fund this debacle. Why not China?

[bushdoescrack]

07:18 AM on 03/17/2008

We need to turn this occupation over to a financially stronger country. America can no longer fund this debacle. Why not China?

[NorthernCross]

09:36 PM on 03/16/2008

America's foreign policy should continue to prioritize our national interests over the interests of any other nation-state. We're not the saviors of the world atm, and frankly we don't have to be. We just need a government that will preserve, protect, and promote the U.S. America for Americans and no one else.

[mystic]

09:03 PM on 03/16/2008

Loss of power and prestige do not mean anything. Yes, America has endangered the world by enhancing terrorism and so what if America is considered the leading terrorist nation on earth?
So what if we're bankrupt and have precipitated global recession? What's the problem in invading Iran even of we have no military to do the job? At least Israel is safer and that's all that counts. Not.

[Leonard]

09:00 PM on 03/16/2008

never will understand why we don't hear daily outrage...mine has been with me for years now

[Colmore]

08:33 PM on 03/16/2008

I think that the US lost all prestige when Georgie became president. He is obviously unqualified for the job, it is painful. Foreign dignitaries come her, with English as their second language, and make more intelligent speeches than he does. He acts like a frat boy, not an adult. Tap dancing on the steps of the WH? Boris Yeltsin is the only other "leader" who ever did something like that, and everyone knew he was drunk. Loss of prestige can be laid at the feet of the Bush administration.

[tomcat27834]

09:10 AM on 03/17/2008

George W. Bush has and continues to be detached from reality. The tap dance on the WH steps is self-serving; begging for attention.

[Colmore]

08:12 PM on 03/16/2008

Look on the bright side, my friends. McCain can walk over there now without a helmet. He has on a flak vest, and surrounded by armed guards. He will return and give us the "truth" about Iraq. He is as deluded as Georgie. How can he know what things are really like on a quick few hours trip? Let the three stooges stay there at one of the US base for a couple of weeks. Then report how great things are. Why no photo ops for Cheney? He is in the middle east, brokering a peace deal between Israel and Palestine. More likely he is checking on his place in Dubai. We pay for a group of doctors and medical team to accompany him everywhere he goes. McCain may want to keep them on retainer if he is elected. Looks to me like he will need them. The man is not healthy, my friends.