The Impact of the War on the American Economy

The Iraq war was one of the most disastrous foreign policy decisions of the last few decades, and citizens across America and the world have looked on with horror as politicians and power got out of hand. Some of the primary arguments around the real motivations for war surround the rebuilding effort, and the benefits this would bring to US-based contractors and business owners. However, there are a number of reasons why this argument, in particular, is flawed and the Iraq war has actively punished the US economy—in addition the punishment dealt to innocent Iraqis and young Americans in the armed forces.

The US invaded Iraq on the grounds of weapons of mass destruction, claiming the Saddam Hussein regime was an imminent threat to world security and were sponsoring and supporting terrorism. Of course this turned out to be false, but at least there was the access to Iraqi oil reserves and the significant rebuilding contracts that would go to American contractors, correct? Actually, this didn’t happen either, and the Iraq war fiasco has led to nothing but bloodshed, with no economic advantages arising from invasion.

After the needless destruction of Iraq was completed, the rebuilding effort was to provide employment to American workers and the US economy. But that wasn’t to happen. The projects were outsourced to cheap labour economies to save money, and thanks to NAFTA, any jobs that would’ve been available for American workers were diverted elsewhere. Thus a further betrayal by the current government and another lie to fuel the flames of the Iraqi war effort.

While the cost in human lives can never compare, the US government have spent billions of dollars on the war machine for no reason. Despite the financial gains they may have sought, the US economy is still struggling and the reconstruction contracts have gone to lower labour economies as a result of cost restrictions and international treaty arrangements. For the US people, this represents yet another lie in the Iraq saga, and further undermines the credibility of the current Presidential regime.

Controversial war author and speaker Bob Miller believes the current regime has been a disaster, from the initial decision to go into Iraq through to the diversion of war contracts and jobs through to the way they conduct their internal affairs.

“It is a fact that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are the purest examples of the ideologies and trustworthiness of this ungodly and un-American group of empire builders calling themselves Republicans. Young Americans, don't be a Big Oil rent-a-cop, don't die for a lie.”

Whether the Iraq war was the right or wrong decision, and regardless of whether the Bush regime has purposefully allowed rebuilding contracts to slide, Bob Miller’s criticisms remain unwavering. What’s for sure is that regardless of the ideology behind the Iraq war effort, the number of human lives sacrificed needlessly, particularly of younger Americans and innocent Iraqi citizens, make the position in the Middle East a modern day diplomatic and human crisis.