Thursday, October 07, 2010

Is War Really Worth It?

mohandasgandhi:    Is war really worth it?  With the 9 year anniversary of our war in Afghanistan, here are some facts:    Nearly 6 in 10 Americans oppose the war in Afghanistan, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation study released this week.  Afghanistan is the world’s 3rd poorest country with a GDP of $27.01 billion.  There are more private contractors (120,000) than there are troops currently deployed.  As of June 2010 1,832 total soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan.   Last fiscal year, 239 soldiers killed themselves, 160 of them active duty.  146 soldiers died from high-risk activities, including 74 drug  overdoses, and 1,713 soldiers survived suicide attempts, according to an  Army report.  A third of returning troops report mental problems and 18.5 per cent of  all returning service members are battling either PTSD or depression,  according to a study by the Rand Corporation.  Amputations rose from 47 in 2009 to 77 through Sept. 23 of this year, or an increase of more than 60% - mostly caused by IEDs, according to Army reports.  A recent Pentagon report said IEDs are now the “the most serious threat”  to coalition forces, killing 6,200 allied and Afghan troops in fiscal  year 2009, compared with 3,800 in 2008.  Over the last year the number of child casualties has risen by 55%.  Nearly 6,000 civilians have died since 2006 and over 2,000 have died this year alone.  It costs the Pentagon $2 billion     per month to support the American troops.  To date, $1.09 trillion dollars have been allocated to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The death of each Taliban fighter costs between $50-100 million. That’s, at the very least, $1 billion per 20 Taliban fighters.  The best estimate of Taliban killed annually by coalition forces is roughly 2,000.  Killing the estimated 35,000 Taliban fighting the occupation would cost $1.75 trillion.  The poverty rate in Afghanistan is 36%, unemployment, 35%, and inflation, 30.5%.  The population’s life expectancy is 44.4 years.    Is it really worth blowing up Afghanistan?  (Image via)

mohandasgandhi:

Is war really worth it?

With the 9 year anniversary of our war in Afghanistan, here are some facts:

  • Nearly 6 in 10 Americans oppose the war in Afghanistan, according to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation study released this week.
  • Afghanistan is the world’s 3rd poorest country with a GDP of $27.01 billion.
  • There are more private contractors (120,000) than there are troops currently deployed.
  • As of June 2010 1,832 total soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan. 
  • Last fiscal year, 239 soldiers killed themselves, 160 of them active duty.
  • 146 soldiers died from high-risk activities, including 74 drug overdoses, and 1,713 soldiers survived suicide attempts, according to an Army report.
  • A third of returning troops report mental problems and 18.5 per cent of all returning service members are battling either PTSD or depression, according to a study by the Rand Corporation.
  • Amputations rose from 47 in 2009 to 77 through Sept. 23 of this year, or an increase of more than 60% - mostly caused by IEDs, according to Army reports.
  • A recent Pentagon report said IEDs are now the “the most serious threat” to coalition forces, killing 6,200 allied and Afghan troops in fiscal year 2009, compared with 3,800 in 2008.
  • Over the last year the number of child casualties has risen by 55%.
  • Nearly 6,000 civilians have died since 2006 and over 2,000 have died this year alone.
  • It costs the Pentagon $2 billion per month to support the American troops.
  • To date, $1.09 trillion dollars have been allocated to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  • The death of each Taliban fighter costs between $50-100 million. That’s, at the very least, $1 billion per 20 Taliban fighters.  The best estimate of Taliban killed annually by coalition forces is roughly 2,000.  Killing the estimated 35,000 Taliban fighting the occupation would cost $1.75 trillion.
  • The poverty rate in Afghanistan is 36%, unemployment, 35%, and inflation, 30.5%.
  • The population’s life expectancy is 44.4 years.

Is it really worth blowing up Afghanistan?

(Image via)

9 years in, it's time to atone and rethink policy in Afghanistan.

Posted via email from liberalsarecool.com

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