This week President Obama announced an end to combat operations in Iraq. Seven long years after President Bush declared pre-emptive war on Iraq, most of our soldiers were finally heading home or to Afghanistan.

There’s been a lot of discussion this week about the meaning of this war, did we achieve “victory?” Should former President Bush be given credit for the success of the surge? I fear that we have learned very little from this costly and unnecessary war. The lessons that we should have had burned into our collective consciousness; the desperate need for a free and fair media that allows for a full throated debate over the need to go to war with opposing voices given equal time, the absolute necessity to reinstate a draft and a war tax as stipulations prior to a declaration of war-aren’t even discussed. Instead conservatives want to declare victory and allies like former British Prime Minister Tony Blair remain unrepentant, confident that the need to topple Saddam Hussein was a just cause. I’ve heard very little discussion in the main stream media about the human and financial price tag for this war. Here’s a sampling; 4,416 U.S. causalities, an estimated 100,000 Iraqi civilians killed, 3 million Iraqi’s displaced from their homes, nearly 35,000 U.S. soldiers wounded, $ 750 billion in direct war costs. This was the first time in the history of our country that we waged war without increasing taxes to pay for it.  There are also secondary effects like the lowering of the United State’s stature in the world by embarking on pre-emptive war and the hardening of hate by Muslims who feel persecuted and victimized by U.S. policies.

Supporters of the war point to the democratic election held in Iraq six months ago as proof positive that our nation building project has been a success. No matter that the Iraqi’s still haven’t formed a government, instead the elected politicians and their families enjoy perks like air-conditioned offices and homes, government vehicles and security that has created political class divisions. There is still no agreement on the division of oil revenues and long lines are common place at gas stations. Conservatives often brag about the success of President Bush’s ill advised troop surge but there is little to show for that today. The NY Times reports that in July, nearly 400 Iraqi civilians were killed in suicide bombings, the highest number in three years.

I’m dumbfounded when people say they don’t understand the anger exhibited by Iraqi’s and their lack of gratitude toward the U.S. for toppling Saddam- freeing them to become a democracy. That’s almost as offensive as the contention that Iraq should pay for its own destruction. Let there be no doubt we destroyed their infra structure their stability, their ability to maintain employment and provide for their families. We devastated their country and now we’re waving good bye and can’t understand why they don’t seem sad to see us go.

Critics of this war are now in the majority but they don’t get equal treatment in the media. Instead anti-war advocates are characterized as “far left” and out of the mainstream. The last time I checked a majority of Americans were no longer supportive of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. We are now the main stream. It’s just so damn sad that it took 5 or more years of war for a majority of Americans to become disenchanted and say “enough.”

I am positive that the American public could quite easily be talked into another war based on false, unsubstantiated information inflated by fear mongering. The main stream media is still totally incapable of creating an environment that would allow for a fair and balanced debate over the necessity of going to war.  The most frightening prospect is that anti-war voices could once again be totally drown out by conservative ‘patriots’ who shamelessly use name calling and fear mongering to dominate their opponents.

We should never ever again be allowed to wage a war that only a small, volunteer segment of our country will fight. We should never ever be permitted to wage war without implementing taxes to pay for it. If we must go to war, the sacrifice should fall on all of us, not just those who volunteered.