The cost of war
WORKERS, DEC 2005 ISSUE
The Iraq war cost Britain almost £3.1 billion up to the end of March, according to the Ministry of Defence. Its annual report shows operations in Iraq cost £910 million in the last financial year, as against £847 million in 2002/3 and £1.3 billion in 2003/4. The US spends around $70 billion a year on the war.
In addition, the MoD spent £67 million in Afghanistan and £87 million in the Balkans in the year to March.
The casualties of the war in Iraq include at least 26,982 Iraqi civilians killed, 98 British soldiers killed, 2,019 US soldiers killed and 15,353 injured.
Contrary to what Blair says, the war on Iraq has not made us safer. Even the US State Department, quoted on Voice of America News, has contradicted Blair's denial of any link between his foreign policy and terrorist attacks on British citizens.
Most Iraqis want the occupiers to leave their country. A Ministry of Defence survey found that 82% of Iraqis "strongly opposed" the presence of coalition troops in their country.
If the occupying governments wanted democracy in Iraq, they would withdraw their troops at once. But if they want to control Iraq's oil, then they will keep the troops in there. Which is what they are doing.