I r a q  W a r  F a c t  S h e e t

To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.

                                                                  – Abraham Lincoln        

        I r a q   W a r   F a c t   S h e e t

                  N o v e m b e r  2 0 0 4

• Weapons of Mass Destruction Found: Zero

• Evidence for a link between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda: None

• Total number of U.S. troop deaths: 1200 and rising

• Average number of U.S. troop deaths per day: Two plus

• U.S. Troops wounded: Over 17,000

• Total number of civilian deaths from the war: Over 100,000

• Cost of the war to date: $125 billion

• Current cost of the war per week: $1 billion

• What $125 billion can buy: 2 million additional public school teachers, 1.5 million public housing units, 5 years of global anti-hunger efforts, 12 years of world-wide AIDS programs

• Unemployment rate in Iraq: 40%

• Acute malnutrition rate for children under five since the start of the war: Doubled

• Number who are without access to clean drinking water, and so subject to diseases like cholera: Millions

• Institutions ruined by the war: Hospitals, universities, museums, police, basic services (electricity, water, sanitation)

• Kidnappings and rapes: Epidemic

• Temperature in Baghdad during the summer: 115º/80º F

• Hours of electricity per day in Baghdad: Around 8

• Has abuse now been eliminated from the U.S. prisons?   No.

• Iraqis who want U.S. to leave immediately: 57%  (USA Today poll)

• Oil reserves in Iraq: World's second largest, currently estimated at 112.5 billion barrels, about 11% of the world total

• Value of contracts awarded to Halliburton: $11 million

           (More than twice for any other contractor.  A number of "no-bid" contracts.)

• Background of Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi : Ex-Ba'athist, MI6, CIA

• Number of new U.S. military bases planned for Iraq: 6 to 14

• Planned U.S. Embassy: 1,300 persons (world's largest)

• If the U.S. withdraws abruptly, will it add to the chaos: Yes

• If the U.S. maintains its military presence, will it add to the chaos: Yes

• Is there an alternative?   Yes.   A truly international peacekeeping force under strict UN control.*

        *For more on how this peacekeeping force would work, scroll down on the Home page, click

        on "Backing for Assertions in the Dove Ad," then scroll down and click on "The Need for a

        Truly International Peacekeeping Force."  Articles by Zunes, Cole and Hiro.

        Update (Oct. 4):  See now the powerful article by Stanley Hoffman on the News page.

M o r e  F a c t s

I n s t i t u t e  f o r  P o l i c y  S t u d i e s

O c t o b e r   2 0 0 4

U.S. military casualties (wounded and killed):

• Monthly average since June 28, 2004: 747
• Monthly average before the “transition”: 449
• Number of U.S. troops wounded in combat since the war began: 7,413 (94% occurred after May 1, 2003)
• Percentage of U.S. wounded unable to return to duty: 64%

Iraqi soldiers and insurgents killed since May 1, 2003: 24,000

Iraqi civilians killed since March 20, 2003: 12,800-14,843

Contractor death rate:

• Monthly average since June 28, 2004: 17.5
• Monthly average during the previous 14 months of occupation: 7.6
• Number of civilian contractors killed: 154

Number of international journalists and media workers killed: 44

Number of insurgents in Iraq: November 2003: 5,000 August 2004: 20,000

Percentage of the world’s population represented by countries (including the U.S.)

• On original “Coalition of the Willing” list (March 2003): 19.1%
• With forces in Iraq as of September 2004: 13.6%

Percentage of Americans who believe that the Iraq War has worsened the U.S. image in the world: 69%

Number of months the Army National Guard failed to meet recruitment goals October 2002 through May 2004: 14

Number of soldiers whose tours of duty have been extended by the Army: 20,000

Percentage of reserve troops who earn lower salaries while on deployment: 30-40%

Fraction of National Guard troops among U.S. force now in Iraq: 1/3

U.S. military casualties: (wounded and killed):

• 747 monthly average since June 28, 2004
• 449 monthly average prior to “transition”

Percentage of U.S. police departments missing officers due to Iraq deployments: 44%

The bill so far: $151.1 billion

What $151 billion could have paid for in the U.S.:

• Housing vouchers: 23 million or
• Health care for uninsured Americans for one year: 27 million or
• Years of salary for elementary school teachers: 3 million or
• New fire engines: 678,200 or
• Head Start slots for a year: 20 million

$151 billion could also pay for 2 years worth of:

• Food for half the hungry people in the world and
• A comprehensive global AIDS treatment and prevention program and
• Clean water and sanitation throughout the developing world and
• Childhood immunizations for all children in the developing world

Estimated long-term cost of war to every U.S. household: $3,415

Average monthly cost of the Vietnam War, adjusted for inflation: $5.2 billion

Average monthly cost of the Iraq War: $5 billion

Amount contractor Halliburton is alleged to have charged for meals never served to troops and for cost overruns on fuel deliveries: $221 million

Kickbacks received by Halliburton employees from subcontractors: $6 million

Effect on al Qaeda of the Iraq War, according to International Institute for Strategic Studies: “Accelerated recruitment”

Estimated number of al Qaeda terrorists as of May 2004: 18,000 with 1,000 active in Iraq

Percentage of Iraqis expressing “no confidence” in U.S. civilian authorities or coalition forces: 80%

S t i l l  M o r e   F a c t s

T h a n k s  t o  D a i l y  K o s

O c t o b er  2 0 0 4

US State Fatalities Versus Coalition Partner Fatalities

United States (1069)  -  California (123) -  Texas (96) -  United Kingdom (68)  -Pennsylvania (57) -  Illinois (47) -  Florida (44) -  New York (42) -  Ohio (38) -  Michigan (30) -  Tennessee (28) -  Virginia (28) -  Arizona (26) -  North Carolina (25) -  New Jersey (24) -  Washington (24) -  Georgia (23) -  Indiana (23) -  Oregon (23) -  Massachusetts (22) -  Alabama (20) -  Wisconsin (20) -  Oklahoma (19) -  South Carolina (19) -  Italy (19)  -  Missouri (17) -  Louisiana (16) -  Arkansas (15) -  Mississippi (15) -  Kentucky (14) -  Nebraska (14) -  Colorado (13) -  Iowa (13) -  Kansas (13) -  Maryland (13) -  Poland (13)  -  Minnesota (11) -  Puerto Rico (11)  -  Spain (11)  -  Connecticut (9) -  Vermont (9) -  Ukraine (9)  -  Idaho (7) -  North Dakota (7) -  Delaware (6) -  Maine (6) -  Rhode Island (6) -  South Dakota (6) -  Utah (6) -  West Virginia (6) -  Bulgaria (6)  -  New Mexico (5) -  Montana (4) -  Wyoming (4) -  District of Columbia (3) -  New Hampshire (3) -  Slovakia (3)  -  American Samoa (2) -  Nevada (2) -  Virgin Islands (2)  -  Netherlands (2)  -  Thailand (2)  -  Alaska (1) -  Hawaii (1) -  Marianas (1)  -  Micronesia (1)  -  Guam (1)  -  Guatemala (1)  -  El Salvador (1)  -  Latvia (1)  -  Estonia (1)  -  Denmark (1)  -  Hungary (1)

US City Fatalities Versus Coalition Partner Fatalities

US (1069)  -  UK (68)  -  Italy (19)  -  Poland (13)  -  Houston, Texas (11) -  Los Angeles, California (11) -  Spain (11)  -  Ukraine (9)  -  Portland, Oregon (7) -  Buffalo, New York (6) -  Bulgaria (6)  -  El Paso, Texas (5) -  Fort Worth, Texas (5) -  San Antonio, Texas (5) -  San Diego, California (5) -  Tampa, Florida (5) -  Austin, Texas (4) -  Brooklyn, New York (4) -  Chicago, Illinois (4) -  Cleveland, Ohio (4) -  Columbus, Ohio (4) -  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (4) -  Phoenix, Arizona (4) -  Richmond, Virginia (4) -  Riverside, California (4) -  Tucson, Arizona (4) -  Abilene, Texas (3) -  Baltimore, Maryland (3) -  Bradenton, Florida (3) -  Derby, Kansas (3) -  Escondido, California (3) -  Fayetteville, North Carolina (3) -  Lawton, Oklahoma (3) -  Lincoln, Nebraska (3) -  Louisville, Kentucky (3) -  Memphis, Tennessee (3) -  Miami, Florida (3) -  Nashville, Tennessee (3) -  New Orleans, Louisiana (3) -  Orange, California (3) -  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (3) -  Tracy, California (3) -  Washington, Dist. of Columbia (3) -  Slovakia (3) ...

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/10/11/85913/621