The War in Iraq is Over. Every American Soldier is Coming Home, before Christmas

 It is over for American troops. As President Obama promised, the last American troops left Iraq this week, after nearly a decade of war. Let me say it again. THE WAR IS OVER!

Be joyful! What a Christmas present to all Americans.

This is a time to rejoice. We should be dancing in the streets and planning parades and welcome this as a great event. Think the first Christmas in nearly 9 years that our boys and daughters are not fighting in Iraq and are home, safe in the USA.

When George W. Bush, made his "Axis of Evil" speech 9 years ago, naming Iraq as a target for U.S. retribution, I wrote him a long letter, part of which was repeated in this publication GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.

I made the following points predicting to President George W. Bush that:

•This war could cost us trillions in treasure

•The war will cost us and the Iraqi people thousands of lives

•The war will be divisive and cause Americans to further polarize

•The war, when we decide to end it, will make little significant difference in the region, in Iraq,and will not solve the conflicts of the nation of Iraq.

•The war will not make the USA beloved, but rather will create more hatred and violence toward us. It would seem that Global Perspectives was right in all respects.

We never lost sight of, or love for our boys and girls who fought there.

They did their job as soldiers. But we, the American people were wrong to send them in "harm's way". I had a dream one night and I was a veteran and was thinking "the blood of our warriors who died, stains the hands of every Americanwho allowed it". The dream speaks, because we Americans who prefer peace did not do enough to avert war.

Unfortunately, Iraq is still a divided nation. All of our money, blood, energy, has not changed much in Iraq, except for the worse. Oil resources in that nation still are at risk of being used by US enemies. Iraq has conflicts with Turkey and internal conflicts between Sunni and Shiites. The economy of Iraq is a shambles, it is said that at least some 320,000 families there have lost a son, daughter, or family member. Politically, the nation is unstable and subject to continued conflict. The nation is still subject to being influenced by Iran, Russia and is still a point of friction with Israel. We Americans came, conquered, destroyed and left a legacy scarred by bad leadership policy. Our soldiers were dedicated and profound. But we voters who allowed bad political judgements to send them there, we, are guilty of a dark violation. We did not elect wise and powerful leaders, and we allowed unwise actions in our nation.

BITTER PILL, THE TRUTH:

Indeed after a decade of war, thousands of American kids killed, 200,000+ Iraqi soldiers killed, over 330,000 Iraqi non combatant citizens killed, mostly women and childrendead by American bombs and bullets. There has been little change in Iraq. Indeed many Iraqi people said that their standard of living is worse because of the USA, than under Saddam. The stability of the nation is worse. The economy and infrastructure suffers enormous war damage. Health needs, water, food, energy, housing, all are much worse in Iraq, because of American bombs and bullets. Iraq as it stands now is a weakened state, a target for dominace of Iran or some other great power.

AsGLOBAL PERSPECTIVES http://www.bootheglobalperspectives.compredicted 9 years ago, the US economy has greatly suffered, because of this war, and many believe that the expense of the war, is a huge reason for the financial deficit that the US now faces. Certainly it will be 40 years before we repay the debt and expense this war has generated. That burden falls upon every American.

This does not take into consideration our boys who fought there, who have the highest suicide rate of any war and many who have expressed their love for their country, but total disgust with this war. The things they were asked to do for their flag and country is a dark blot on our history. Our soldiers were put in an almost impossible situation, with no firm answers or reasons for their sacrifice.

In terms of lives lost and families impacted, see the following:

8,794 Americans lost a son or daughter; 3,141 lost a parent; and 2,468 lost a husband or wife. Hundreds of thousands face similar losses in Iraq. But, let us consider this moment in history. As far as the United States is concerned, THIS WAR IS OVER. It may take longer than the war took, for us to sort out the true implications and impact of the war on us and the world.

But we can rejoice today, and breath a prayer of thanks, that American soldiers are no longer there.

I wrote in the year 2001, that the nation of Iraq, was not worth the blood of one American child, not worth the sacrifice of one American soldier and not worth the tears of one American mother. Perhaps that statement was based upon emotional factors. Certainly Iraq, the land, it's people have value, for every life, is sacred. Every family, Iraqi and American who have lost loved ones, feel unaccountable pain. Perhaps today, I would write it this way.

We, the American people have no conflict with the Iraqi people. Our children and yours should have spent this 9 years working together, building something, helping our nations to grow as friends. No piece of dirt, on this earth is worth the blood of one slain child, in the name of war, particularly a war with as little merit as this one.

For the price of this war we could have built new schools, highways, cities, museums, feed children, paid for medical care, housing, throughout both the United States and Iraq. The price of one bombing run, could have fed all the children in Iraq for a year. The price of one squadron of U.S. jets, could have provided jobs, and business loans for millions of Americans. Without the massive treasure spent on this war, the American economy, the recession and jobs lost might not have happened.

We trust that the people of America and Iraq, are wiser and will not allow a repeat of such violence and tragedy to occur.

FUTURE SOLUTION!

Perhaps in the future, if our vaunted leaders have a conflict, we could do, like other historical figures have suggested. Set up a dueling field, and let the political leaders settle their differences with their blood, not the blood of our children.

It is time, for all nations to elect leaders of wisdom, compassion, insight, who believe in communication, not conflict, in finding commonality, not differences, and who would work to "kill" hatred, bigotry, greed, and political abuse, not our children.