Iraq: The Real Cost of War Can't Be Ignored

At each stop I make in this campaign, there are a lot of issues that I can talk about. Right now, too many Americans are worried about keeping their jobs, keeping their homes, and making sure their kids have quality education and quality health care.

But there is one issue that I believe is the linchpin to everything we want to do in a post-Bush world:

Ending the war in Iraq.

Some of my fellow candidates have decided to stop talking about Iraq. I'm not sure if they think the surge is working, or just that their polls tell them it is simpler and safer to follow the media's lead and just forget our brave troops and what this war is costing us.

Well, I believe that "easy" isn't necessarily right, so even if I'm the only person speaking the truth on this issue, I'm not going to stop.

I'm going to keep talking about ending this war and getting all of our troops out every chance I get.

The fact is, we cannot move forward on any of the issues that matter until we extract ourselves from this black hole that is robbing us of precious lives, money and time.

And we simply can't wait until 2013 to get this done.

Some of my fellow Democrats are willing to leave troops in Iraq for 5 years or longer -- the Republicans are talking decades -- yet still think we can make the dramatic changes here at home we need. But spending $10 billion a month on a war and working towards universal health care, building a new energy economy, and ending our dependence on foreign oil is an equation that doesn't add up.

It doesn't add up financially.

It doesn't add up morally.

It doesn't add up for America.

A few weeks ago, my campaign launched a very strong website www.2013istoolate.com which details the core problem I have with the Iraq plans of Senator Edwards, Clinton and Obama -- they won't even commit to getting all of our troops out of Iraq by 2013 -- almost five years from now.

And today, I'm proud that we've released another TV ad to bring attention back to this issue.

I'm going to do everything I can to make sure we don't forget this war, and forget what we need to do to end it.

Ending the war means getting all the troops out -- there is no room for rhetorical hair-splitting. We're either in or we're out. Now, or the war continues.

We hadn't planned on this, but I'm glad today is the day this ad is coming out -- because just yesterday Congress lost another chance to end this war, choosing instead to once again give Bush what he needs to draw out this tragedy even longer.

Where is the leadership? Just this week, with the fight over telecom immunity, we saw what can happen when a single Senator shows up and stands up for what's right, and yet, yesterday four senators in this race who say they oppose the war -- Senators Obama, Clinton, Dodd and Biden -- were all away while the president got what is essentially another blank check.

This Congress was elected to end this war and they have once again failed to stand up to President Bush. Yesterday, they didn't even show up ready to fight.

With a long history of repelling occupying forces, the people of the Middle East are very sensitive to foreign occupation. So long as U.S. troops occupy those lands, millions of Iraqis and those in surrounding nations will see American troops as jihadist propaganda portrays us -- as occupiers there to repress them and plunder their oil. If we want them to believe we won't occupy Iraq indefinitely, then we need to act like we won't -- and get our troops out.

In addition, our presence in Iraq perpetuates Iraq's political stalemate and undermines political reconciliation. As long as U.S. troops are there, the Iraqi factions have every incentive to jockey for power, rather than to reconcile and compromise.

As president, I will get all of our troops out, and I will get them out my first year in office.

A slow redeployment over many years would only prolong the suffering of Iraqis, and delay the process of reconciliation and reconstruction. The longer we take to redeploy, the longer our troops are in harm's way. While redeployment must be done carefully, as determined by our military leaders, to maximize political impact and minimize harm, we can't afford to drag it out over many years.

2013 is over five years from now. If we still have troops in Iraq in 2013, the Iraqis sure won't think the war is over. And neither will the American people.

I have profound differences with my opponents.

Senator Edwards says he will remove combat troops, but not necessarily non-combat troops, and not necessarily by 2013. This contradicts military doctrine that states non-combat troops must be withdrawn first with combat troops providing protection. Leaving non-combat troops behind will either turn them into combat troops or leave them as targets without any support.

Senators Obama and Clinton talk about ending the war, but when given the chance to commit to withdrawing troops by 2013, they both declined. They both say they will end the war, but I also remember hearing that when we elected a Democratic majority to Congress in 2006.

If we have a Democratic President willing to keep us in this war for five more years, what chance do we have of restoring our place in the world? Of creating real peace in the Middle East? Of having the diplomatic strength to broker peace in Darfur or Pakistan or North Korea?

If we have a Democratic President who is willing to keep us in this war for five more years, what hope do we have of funding full care for all of our veterans who have been injured and need our help?

What hope do we have of giving health insurance to children? Of paying teachers a living wage? Of dealing with global warming?

I think the answer speaks for itself.

I won't stop talking about Iraq, because you can't talk about solving any problem we face without talking about Iraq. We can't forget that.

Read several of the Governor's past posts on Iraq here, here and here.

Comments

[charlesrfd2003]

Even the Democrats are so steeped in western European ethnocentrism that they fail to see the pitfalls in trying to dominate everything in the world. If they did, they would want to get out of Iraq now and focus on alternative energy. Instead they fear some one will accuse them of "the stab in the back".

Bill Richardson is the only reality candidate in this election.

[glori30175]

Gov.Richardson,you well know that this admin is a failure and is continuing down the wrong road,we have international obligations and we are in over our heads in everything.Our gov.is not looking out for we the people and the not so fortunute,we have become so selfish and not caring and only doing things for gain,money or purpose,we have lost our way and unashamed about it..all respect for us is gone,they all know what we are about.just look at lieberman he has shown us the new benedict arnold,we are the outlaw and the benedict arnold of the world,just look at the american Indian Seceding from the U.S.they are sick and tired of not getting respect or benevolence!!God bless Crazy horse and his people!!

[ElieElhadj]

The March of Shiism
Even without nuclear weapons, Iran has become the hegemonic power over the world’s richest oil region, thanks to Washington’s elimination of the Wahhabi Talibans and Saddam’s regime in Iraq.
On April 9, 2003, the U.S. won the battle against a tattered Iraq. But Iran, without firing a shot won the war for Iraq. The occupation transferred control in Mesopotamia to Iraq’s 60% Shii majority. Chatham House concluded in August 2006: “The greatest problem facing the U.S. is that Iran has superseded it as the most influential power in Iraq.”
To Sunnis, Shiis are heretics. Saudi Wahhabis treat Shiis contemptuously. Shii areas are the poorest despite containing Saudia’s entire oil wealth. In Bahrain, the Sunni minority mistreats the Shii majority. In Kuwait, Shiis are second-class citizens. In Lebanon, Shiis are underprivileged. In Yemen, the Zaydis, a Shii sect, accuse the Sunni government of genocide.
Arab Shiis look to Iran for deliverance. Egyptian President Mubarak declared recently that Shiis in Arab states were more loyal to Iran than to their own countries.
As a 15% minority of Muslims, Shiism draws Shiis together. In Southern Iraq, Najaf and Karbala are the holiest of holies. Kazimayn, has the tombs of the 7th and 9th Imams. Samarra has the tombs of the 10th and 11th Imams, plus the revered Mosque of the Occultation. In Mashhad, Iran, the 8th Imam is buried and in Qumm his sister is buried. Zainab, the Prophet’s Granddaughter is buried near Damascus. In honoring the Imams’ memory, pilgrimages pull millions of Shiis together. The prominent families of the holy cites have long lines of inter-marriage. Ayatollahs have cross-country followings. From Iraq, Iranian clerics often led the Shii world. Arab/Persian conflicts have been between the rulers, not the masses.
Washington needs to negotiate with Tehran. Iran has become an unstoppable locomotive in the march of Shiism.

Elie Elhadj; author: The Islamic Shield
http://www.universal-publishers.com/book.php?method=ISBN&book=1599424118
Also:
http://journals.aol.com/eeh100/daring-opinion/

[Tellmethetruth]

thank you Governor Richardson for continuing to blog on the War in Iraq which is important - 1) people are dying there 2) it could easily become a regional war with Turkey, Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia joining in. Why? There are 4.5 million displaced people from Iraq living in these countries and this is creating conflicts within these countries who would like to send these people back to Iraq but can't because in fact there is a civil war going on. Joe Biden mentioned this today.
3) Not only is it costing us in US lives and wounded soldiers we must provide for, but financially there are necessities of live that Americans elderly and children will never have because of this war - health care, housing, and education.

You are so right to bring this to our attention. Thank you for the "tough love" the citizen have a right to be focused on as part of finding solutions to this disaster. We don't need news that is sick escapism which we are constantly fed.

I genuinely hope you do well in Iowa - you are a decent human being, honorable person, and a blessing to the American people. Good luck to you, Mr. Richardson.

[fedupnburnin]

Bush should have been impeached and removed from office long ago. Look at all the grief he's caused and it still ain't over.

[castlerider]

Gov. Richardson, why don't you talk about WHY they don't talk about the occupation anymore?

Why do you continue to give those who are for this occupation the moral high ground by letting it be called a "War!" please fight this fiasco completely, and never call it a war again. It is an occupation, and we need to get the hell out and care for our own.

[Garvagh]

The virtual disappearance of the Iraq War as a campaign issue partly reflects the pervasive power of the militarist Israeli approach to dealing with the Middle East: repress the Palestinians, and rely upon the gigantic American war machine for protection. Bill Richardson is the only candidate arguing for the best interests of the American people, and demanding the full and complete withdrawal of all American military forces from Iraq asap.

[deminmo]

Even if Congress decided to pull the troops
out of Iraq, wouldn't it take nearly a year to
do it? The Iraqi goverment wants to keep troops
in the country at least through 2008. So it
looks like with the lack of action on the part
of Congress, and the Iraqi goverment it won't
be during the Bush term.

[birddog]

When Bush and co. first said the war would cost about 60 billion, I said make that 600 billion. Now when people say 2 trillion, I say about 20 trillion. If it continues, that is not high enough. We haven't begin to talk about rebuilding all of what we have wasted. If Richardson really wants to tell the truth, tell the truth about what we are trying to force on the Iraqi's for an oil law, and also tell the real truth about the deficit by including the war costs, and then tell the truth about where the money is going, into our own corp. for one place so don't let them use the war for an excuse on the economy.

[brently]

Yaaaawn. The real cost of the war? This is insignificant compared to the loss of our country, which continues to be assured by corrupt, naive, immoral politicians and the cowardly media who refuse to face the Cheney administration for their 9/11 crimes. Do you want to win the election, Bill? Become the 9/11 candidate and then take your place in history alongside our heroic founding fathers. Otherwise, do us all a favor and clam up.

[Eagleray]

Lately, all the buzz is about whether Obama or Clinton has the experience and who has more. Frankly, it's just another aspect of the pundits talking horse race instead of issues.
If any one of the Democrats has the background, it's Richardson. He's been in government as a Cabinet head, he's delivered on international negotiations (with the likes of Kim Jong-il, no less; even Saddam was more amenable to negotiations), he is a governor, with a track record for getting things done and an overwhelming re-election victory.
Most important, he's not parsing when or how to get out of Iraq; he'll just get us out.
What more do people want from a candidate?

[CarlOlson]

Dear Gov. Richardson:

You missed the biggest cost of all: the U. S. is now a de facto member of OPEC and helping skyrocket the price of oil worldwide.

By occupying Iraq in March 2003, the U.S. took over all functions of Iraq, including the OPEC membership. The US/Iraq delegate has always voted for the price-raising production cutbacks. The U.S. has cut back production in Iraq way below what Saddam Hussein produced.

No law prohibits the U. S. government from helping any cartel anywhere in the world. Congress and Presidential candidates should investigate ASAP.

Hundreds of billions of dollars of damage have already happened.

[ljsfolly]

As I have thought since the insane war with Iraq was started on the lies of a few who thought a war "might be fun" and put money in the pockets of their buddies, that we should bring back the draft. We as a country have had no reason to be engaged and angry at Bush and crew as they have been really good and mis-direction and lies. They also have had the media right there with them telling us only what they wanted us to see/know/read/hear. That sounds like China or Russia right? Not good ol' free press America. If all were spilling blood and suffering the losses of our young and not so young soldiers then this mess would have stopped in it's tracks years ago. The soldiers killing themselves would be less than now and we might have impeached someone. Our military is too broken now to fix unless we have another terror attack. I also believe our next president will be dealing with one as bush the incompetent has flooded the middle east with tons literally of dollars hot off the presses from here. We have seen the pictures of the cash sent to Iraq and we have seen the numbers of money lost or given freely like a wild drunk with money to throw at anyone who might be standing close enough to catch it. Money has tossed into the mix so many who are happy to not do anything but collect from bush and crew like blackwater sewage/hal­iburtin/OP­EC etc. Our economy will still be a mess even if we left the middle east today.Bill and Joe Biden are qualified for the office of president but they won't get the job. Money also speaks to the polls and he with the most money and best spin wins.

[benalbanach]

Gorbachev hit the nail on the head when he said that the United States always has to win. Until the nation gets the message that it is about co-operating in the world rather than winning there will be more Iraqs,more "Shock and Awe". That and the fact that Big Business has to be taught that war is no longer profitable in the larger sense.

[WASanford]

Thank you for your post. Like you I’m against the continued occupation of Iraq which I believe we should end as soon as possible. We’ve been there far too long. But there are reasons we need leave that you seem to have missed.
Every time Congress gives this president the billions of dollars needed to extend our occupation of Iraq, those dollars have to be borrowed and Joe six-pack (Remember me?) takes one on the chin. Those dollars enter our economy without a commensurate creation of wealth. In other words they are inflationary! Their effect is to increase the price of everything except our wages, creating a serious decline in the quality of life for most Americans.
We’re already losing our homes to something called the housing bubble and with the cost of gasoline rising, driving our Hummers is becoming an unaffordable luxury. Some Americans already have to make a decision between eating and driving to work.
If the inhumanities occurring in Iraq because we’re there don’t bother you, if you think global warming is just a scare tactic, then consider the above statement. That six-pack of tall cool ones is rapidly changing into a 12 ounce single!