Number of years since the U.S. invaded Iraq: 3. Number of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq: 2,520.
Number of those which were non-combat related: 552. Number of United Kingdom soldiers killed in Iraq (the next nation with the highest fatalities): 103. Number of U.S. women soldiers killed in Iraq: 54.
Number of U.S. soldiers captured by hostile forces: 1. Number of journalists killed in Iraq: 87.
Number of parents who have now outlived their soldier child, spouses who have lost their soul mate, children deprived of a parent’s embrace, babies who will grow old never knowing a parent’s voice, smile, or hug, future children that will never be: Only God knows.
Number of U.S. soldiers wounded in Iraq: 17,004. Percent of U.S. veterans that served in Iraq who sought mental health services within one year of returning from battle: 35.
Number of soldiers whose lost limbs, suffer physical handicap, or will develop psychological difficulties that will lead to violence in the home, divorce, substance abuse, homelessness, crime, poverty and/or early death: Only God knows.
The cost of the war in Iraq (based on Congressional appropriation) thus far: Approximately $248,056,925,748. Cost of the war per day: $226,536,005.
Number of children who could have instead attended Head Start: 32,849,670. Number of years we could have fully funded world-wide AIDS programs: 24. Number of years we could have fully funded global anti-hunger efforts: 10. Number of years we could have ensured that every child in the world was given basic immunizations: 82.
Number of U.S. citizens who will go without and generations of families trapped in deeper poverty because our taxes are buying guns rather than butter: Only God knows.
Number of Iraqis civilians reported killed: 37,754.
Number of Iraqis civilians killed per day during the first year of conflict: 20. Number of Iraqis civilians killed per day during the second year of conflict: 31. Number of Iraqis civilians killed per day during the third year of conflict: 36.
Number of years the United States must serve in purgatory for the blood it is shedding: Only God knows.
Number of Iraqi prisoners killed while in captivity: Only God knows. Number of Iraqi citizens who have “disappeared”: Only God knows. Number of prisoners of war being held without being charged: Only God knows. Number of secret prisons operated by the U.S.: Only God knows. Number of U.S. soldiers who have participated in the torture and murder of Iraqi prisoners: Only God knows.
Number of U.S. soldiers being held responsible for the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison: 17. Number of U.S. soldiers convicted of torture and murder of Iraqi prisoners: 7. Number of Muslims who due to U.S. forces abuses have turned to terrorist activities: Only God knows.
Number of weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq: 0. Number of Iraqis involved in the 9/11 terrorist attack: 0. Number of documents recovered by our intelligence service confirming a direct connection between the Saddam regime and Al-Qaeda: 0. Number of documents recovered by our intelligence service confirming a direct connection between the Saddam regime and 9/11: 0.
Number of days Bush served in Vietnam when his country called upon him: 0. Number of deferments received by Vice President Cheney to avoid serving his country in Vietnam: 5.
Number of lies told by the Bush Administration to get the U.S. to invade Iraq: Only God knows.
Miguel A. De La Torre is director of the Justice & Peace Institute and associate professor of social ethics at IliffSchool of Theology in Denver.
Click here to order Miguel De La Torre’s Doing Christian Ethics From the Margins from Amazon.com
Professor of Social Ethics and Latinx Studies at Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado, and a contributing correspondent at Good Faith Media.
