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Why Avoid War with Iran?
By maudeaster on 2012-01-24 09:57:36
Why do we care s
‘SS
o much about preventing war with Iran? Why does our Women against War banner say War Is Not the
Answer?
war hurts us in this country—
e Yes, we mourn the loss of US soldiers and the pain of the US veterans wounded in body and spirit.
¢ Yes, we hate to see $2 billion a month disappear into a fruitless war in Afghanistan when there are such great needs at
home.
e Yes, we know drone strikes and house raids create hatred for the US that will come back to haunt us.
But a recent New York Times article by John Tiran http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/04/opinion/the-forgotten-wages-of-
war.html made me think how limited my understanding of the impact of war really is, not having tried to survive, or take
care of my family, in a war zone. Tiran is the Executive Director of the Center for International Studies at MIT, and I
recommend his article as well as his book, The Deaths of Others: The Fate of Civilians in America’s Wars. We know some
of the terrible costs of US wars to the Iraqis and Afghans:
¢ Over 4 million Iraqis displaced from their homes.
e Anestimated 1 million Iraqis dead, not only from direct war wounds, but also interrupted health care, nutrition
undermined by conflict and lack of adequate shelter. In Afghanistan, the US hasn’t even attempted to count the dead.
General Tommy Franks said early on, “We don’t do body counts.”
e In Iraq and Afghanistan, destruction of roads, bridges, water supplies, hospitals and schools — all which will take years
and enormous resources to re-build.
¢ Communities divided as the US boosts internal conflict in search of allies, sowing the seeds of immediate revenge and
of ongoing political instability. In Iraq, new animosities created between Sunnis and Shiites; in Afghanistan, conflicts
between tribes stoked by US policy arming warlords to fight against each other.
So, please think about Iranian families when you hear politicians call for bombing Iran. Do we want to inflict the chaos of
La
war on these children and their families as well?
