By the Numbers

Today is the Feast of St. Joseph, the spouse opf the Blessed Virgin Mary, and foster father of our Lord Jesus Christ. sadly, this feast also marks the 4th anniversary of the start of the immoral, illegal, and unjust "preventative" war against Iraq.***

Since the invasion four years ago, here are some of the costs of this war of aggression:

3, 190 American servicemen and women have lost their lives.
23,924 US troops have been wounded.
3000 (approx.) Iraqi civilians are dying every month
700,000 (approx) Through November, 2006, number of civilians that have become refugees within Iraq
2 million (approx) Through November, 2006, number of civilians that have become refugees outside of Iraq
1347 number of days the US was at war in WWII
1461 (and counting) - number of days at war in Iraq
$288 Billion - US cost of WWII
$409.6 Billion (and counting) - US cost of Iraq War (based on Congressional Appropriations)

What could those dollars have accomplished if used for good? Here's a calculator that keeps a running tab on the war and demonstrates what we could have done with the money. http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182

*** In case you think I'm merely demonstrating personal political prejudice by claiming that the war is immoral, illegal, and unjust, I quote Fr. Paul Surlis, writing in the Houston (TX) Catholic Worker Newspaper, Vol XXV No. 1 Jan-Feb, 2005,

"The Pope (JPII) made more than fifty public addresses in which he condemned the war in Iraq prior to its inception and he sent a special emissary, Pio Laghi, to the White House to convey his disapproval, but the Bush Administration was adamant in pushing for war and even forbade Laghi to address the American people from the White House on the occasion of his visit. Most heads of major religions in the United States, including the head of Bush's Methodist Church condemned the war as unjust."

The entire article may be found at: http://www.cjd.org/paper/surlis.html

I would also point out that prior to the invasion of Iraq, on March 5, 2003, the Houston (TX) Chronicle reported that, 'a Vatican envoy (Pio Laghi) "carried the pope's message to the White House that a U.S.-led war against Iraq without United Nations' approval would be 'unjust and illegal'".

St. Joseph, you were chosen of God to be guardian of, and a role model for, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Humbly we seek your intercession for our country and our world, that we may have hearts that understand war brings not glory, only the destruction of body, mind, and spirit. Amen.