http://www.thedailylight.com/articles/2007/06/19/dailylight/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/letter2.txt ‘The cost of war’
To the Editor,
Today is yet another landmark in Iraq-soldier No. 3519 has been killed — 42 soldiers and Marines since June 1. Instead of my usual rants, I’ll just lay the facts out for you. Draw your own conclusions.
1. Halliburton Corporation-has earned $20 billion since Iraq Invasion — cross reference — “Dick Cheney.”
2. Lockheed Martin Corp — $19 billion in ONE YEAR — cross reference “Lynne Cheney” and “Haley Barbour.”
3. Boeing Corp. — $19 billion per year. Cross reference “Donald Rumsfeld” and “Darlene Dryun.”
4. General Dynamics — $10.6 billion/year — cross reference “Colin Powell,” “Gordon England.”
5. New Bridge Strategies — billions/year — cross-reference “Joe Allbaugh,” “Neil Bush.”
6. Chevron — $4 billion/QUARTER — cross-reference “Condoleezza Rice.”
7. Shell Oil — $6 billion/quarter — cross reference “Gale Norton.”
8. Unocal — $204 billion/year — cross reference “Zalmay Khalizad.”
9. Both of our senators voted against an independent investigation of contractor fraud in Iraq. Aren’t you proud to know where THEIR alliances are?
3,519 dead, 111 of those suicides.
25,868 injured and unable to return to duty.
As the troops’ deployments are being extended, at least three in 10 of their stateside family members report a “severe” difficulty in paying bills.
Divorce rates have gone from 32 percent to 56 percent for military families.
The increase of traumatic brain injuries has gone up exponentially due to IEDs. These are difficult to diagnose and a contributor to PTSD.
Approximately 91,000 soldiers are returning home with PTSD, and very little resources waiting for them.
400,000 veterans become homeless any given year — a number that is sure to increase as our troops return.
Under DoD Directive 1325.6, an active duty military troop is forbidden from public dissent.
Research all your facts before you claim to support the troops. A yellow ribbon and a “thanks-a-million” card won’t cut it — not while war profiteers are becoming increasingly wealthy off our troops’ blood. There used to be a law against war profiteering — now it seems to be part of the career ladder to the White House. What has happened to my country?