What Are We Fighting For? What Is Our Exit Strategy?

TALKING POINTS

Public Opinion:

· 7 out of 10 Americans now say the UN should take the lead in Iraq reconstruction

· 66% say the US should commit itself to a stable democracy in Iraq

· 70% say war has not reduced the threat of terrorism

· Three quarters say pursuit of Osama Bin Ladin and al Qaeda is more important that Iraq

According to a poll done by the PIPKA/Knowledge Networks “The American Public on International Issues” in November (http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/Iraq/press_12_03.pdf)

The Cost of War:

· Between March 19^th and April 20^th the Project on Defense Alternatives Research estimates there were between 11,000 and 15,000 Iraqis killed in major combat action. Approximately 30% of these fatalities were noncombatant civilians

· 500 coalition soldiers have been killed in Iraq – 100 in Afghanistan

· 2,300 coalition soldiers have been wounded in action in Iraq

· The United States spends US $4 billion a month in Iraq

· 63% of spending increases in 2003 have been for defense, homeland security and international affairs (including Iraq and Afghanistan)

• $65.6 billion has been requested for military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq for 2004 [Defense Monitor]
• Military spending amounts to almost half (49.5%) of all discretionary spending in the federal budget – over $400 billion. [Defense Monitor]
• The total interest on the federal debt in FY 2003 was @ $328 billion – the military related share is at least $100 billion. [Defense Monitor]

Occupation, Nation Building and Recovery:

· According to the RAND Institute study of US nation building efforts, success in nation building requires time and resources. In Kosovo (a successful endeavor), the US and allies put 25 times more money and 50 times more troops per capita into post-conflict reconstruction than Afghanistan

· Over 150,000 coalition soldiers occupy Iraq – approximately one soldier for every 1,000 Iraqis. Facing resistance, experts predict a requirement of 20 soldiers for every 1,000 Iraqis

• The UN and World Bank estimate it will take $56 billion over 5 years to rebuild Iraq; current total non-US pledges for grants are $4.4 billion; loans are $9-13 billion [Brookings Iraq index]