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Costs of Iraq war are still being counted Costs of Iraq war are still being counted
(17 days later)
Your recent articles (15 March) concerning the Iraq war have stunned many people like me, who were supportive of the strike against a demonised Saddam Hussein. Now, 120,000 Iraqi lives and hundreds of billions of dollars later – dollars that could have been spent to further the fight against suffering in the world – we are beginning to realise how duped we were. I have been a Labour activist, councillor, European parliamentary candidate, shortlisted for a parliamentary seat and a faithful servant of the party for 50 years. Today, however, I would cheerfully take Tony Blair's smug face and rub it in that heart-rending picture of the little bloodstained girl in her moment of terror at the shattering of her world by US bullets, a picture that will remain in my memory for a very long time to come.
Bernard Regan
Burton upon Stather, Lincolnshire
Your recent articles (15 March) concerning the Iraq war have stunned many people like me, who were supportive of the strike against a demonised Saddam Hussein. Now, 120,000 Iraqi lives and hundreds of billions of dollars later – dollars that could have been spent to further the fight against suffering in the world – we are beginning to realise how duped we were. I have been a Labour activist, councillor, European parliamentary candidate, shortlisted for a parliamentary seat and a faithful servant of the party for 50 years. Today, however, I would cheerfully take Tony Blair's smug face and rub it in that heart-rending picture of the little bloodstained girl in her moment of terror at the shattering of her world by US bullets, a picture that will remain in my memory for a very long time to come.
Bernard Regan
Burton upon Stather, Lincolnshire
• Your Iraq war graphic (14 March) states that the war cost the US $823.2bn and the UK £8.3bn. This will be nowhere near the total spent. Both countries face continuing costs from dealing with their returned personnel, whether physically or mentally wounded – plus the costs to society at large and to their families and friends, who may also need support. Not to mention the cost in violent crime and suicide we can expect (I read that more troops who had served in the Falklands conflict had committed suicide than were killed in combat).• Your Iraq war graphic (14 March) states that the war cost the US $823.2bn and the UK £8.3bn. This will be nowhere near the total spent. Both countries face continuing costs from dealing with their returned personnel, whether physically or mentally wounded – plus the costs to society at large and to their families and friends, who may also need support. Not to mention the cost in violent crime and suicide we can expect (I read that more troops who had served in the Falklands conflict had committed suicide than were killed in combat).
You give the figure for internally displaced Iraqis (1.33 million in 2012) but not for Iraqis exiled since the start of the war. I saw an estimate for 5 million Iraqi exiles in 2006 but have no idea how true that figure was.You give the figure for internally displaced Iraqis (1.33 million in 2012) but not for Iraqis exiled since the start of the war. I saw an estimate for 5 million Iraqi exiles in 2006 but have no idea how true that figure was.
By the way, thank you so much for your many excellent graphic spreads over the years; and please pass this on to the teams responsible past and present. I have often, as a teacher, used and adapted them as an invaluable resource in my classroom delivery to my Esol learners. I'm sure they are grateful too.
Richard Saddington
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
By the way, thank you so much for your many excellent graphic spreads over the years; and please pass this on to the teams responsible past and present. I have often, as a teacher, used and adapted them as an invaluable resource in my classroom delivery to my Esol learners. I'm sure they are grateful too.
Richard Saddington
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
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