Comments on: Doing the math on Iraq http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/07/12/doing-the-math-on-iraq/ Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media Fri, 19 Mar 2010 14:36:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: grumpypilgrim http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/07/12/doing-the-math-on-iraq/comment-page-1/#comment-13396 grumpypilgrim Fri, 13 Jul 2007 18:55:07 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=1451#comment-13396 As Erich mentions, statistics on Iraq are illuminating. Iraq has a geographic area about the same as California, a population about the same as Texas and a gross domestic product (GDP) about the same as Nebraska. Per-capita income in Iraq is one tenth the per-capita income in West Virginia. Thus, from a military perspective, Iraq can be thought of as a heavily-populated, but exceedingly poor, U.S. state. Iraq is the 130th richest nation on earth, with an annual gross domestic product (GDP) of just $90 billion. That's less than the $100-150 billion that George Bush has been spending each year to occupy the country. Given the relatively small size of Iraq, its 70,000 fatalities and quarter-million total casualties resulting from Bush's invasion represent (respectively) about 0.25% and 1% of its population. Were America to lose 0.25% and 1% of its population to death and injuries, 750,000 innocent Americans would be dead and 3 million civilians would be dead or injured -- equivalent to *two hundred and fifty* 9/11 attacks. That is the level of death and destruction Bush's *totally unnecessary* invasion has caused in Iraq. With the above in mind, if we view Bush's invasion from the perspective of an Iraqi, we would need to imagine a foreign power invading California -- for no legitimate reason -- and leaving 350,000 of that state's population dead or wounded. I don't know about anyone else, but I would bet that at least a few California residents would want retribution. As Erich mentions, statistics on Iraq are illuminating. Iraq has a geographic area about the same as California, a population about the same as Texas and a gross domestic product (GDP) about the same as Nebraska. Per-capita income in Iraq is one tenth the per-capita income in West Virginia. Thus, from a military perspective, Iraq can be thought of as a heavily-populated, but exceedingly poor, U.S. state. Iraq is the 130th richest nation on earth, with an annual gross domestic product (GDP) of just $90 billion. That’s less than the $100-150 billion that George Bush has been spending each year to occupy the country.

Given the relatively small size of Iraq, its 70,000 fatalities and quarter-million total casualties resulting from Bush’s invasion represent (respectively) about 0.25% and 1% of its population. Were America to lose 0.25% and 1% of its population to death and injuries, 750,000 innocent Americans would be dead and 3 million civilians would be dead or injured — equivalent to *two hundred and fifty* 9/11 attacks. That is the level of death and destruction Bush’s *totally unnecessary* invasion has caused in Iraq.

With the above in mind, if we view Bush’s invasion from the perspective of an Iraqi, we would need to imagine a foreign power invading California — for no legitimate reason — and leaving 350,000 of that state’s population dead or wounded. I don’t know about anyone else, but I would bet that at least a few California residents would want retribution.

]]> By: Erich Vieth http://dangerousintersection.org/2007/07/12/doing-the-math-on-iraq/comment-page-1/#comment-13388 Erich Vieth Fri, 13 Jul 2007 03:23:36 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=1451#comment-13388 There are far fewer Iraqis than Americans. Therefore, a far greater proportion of Iraqis have suffered as a result of the U.S. occupation than the proportion of Americans. I've read several accounts that every Iraqi family knows someone killed or maimed during the U.S. occupation. In America, though, there are many families who know someone killed or maimed, but there are also tens of millions of Americans who don't have any close friends or relatives serving in Iraq. As a result, huge numbers of Americans simply don't have any meaningful connection to the blood spilled in Iraq every day. The Iraqis have violence imposed on them constantly, while tens of millions of Americans have no visceral connection to the violence in Iraq. The Iraq tragedy is about as real to many Americans as the violent video games played by American teenagers. Perhaps we ought to allow the Iraqis to vote as honorary Americans in the next American presidential election. Maybe then enough people who deeply care about Iraq will shape Iraq policy. No occupation without representation. There are far fewer Iraqis than Americans. Therefore, a far greater proportion of Iraqis have suffered as a result of the U.S. occupation than the proportion of Americans. I’ve read several accounts that every Iraqi family knows someone killed or maimed during the U.S. occupation. In America, though, there are many families who know someone killed or maimed, but there are also tens of millions of Americans who don’t have any close friends or relatives serving in Iraq. As a result, huge numbers of Americans simply don’t have any meaningful connection to the blood spilled in Iraq every day.

The Iraqis have violence imposed on them constantly, while tens of millions of Americans have no visceral connection to the violence in Iraq. The Iraq tragedy is about as real to many Americans as the violent video games played by American teenagers.

Perhaps we ought to allow the Iraqis to vote as honorary Americans in the next American presidential election. Maybe then enough people who deeply care about Iraq will shape Iraq policy. No occupation without representation.

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