IPS Statement on 2000 U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq

On Tuesday October 25, nearly 1,000 days into the Iraq War, the number of U.S. soldiers killed reached 2,000. Added to this sum are 272 contractors, 199 members of the so-called “coalition of the willing,” and this month marks one year since a report by the Lancet cited more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians casualties, we have no idea how many more have died this past year.

While we mourn the death of the 2,000th American soldier, Sgt. George Alexander Jr., we remember all of the faces of the fallen during this war including Iraqis such as Nafi’a Aziz, a member of the Mosul city council and her son who were killed two weeks ago on October 3.

Like so many citizens in the U.S. and around the world, we opposed the rush to war in Iraq and the ensuing occupation and have worked tirelessly to end the war and bring the troops home. It is clear that none of the milestones we were told would be the beginning of the end of the war—the capture of Baghdad, Bush’s “mission accomplished” speech from the deck of an aircraft carrier, the arrest of Saddam Hussein, the so-called “transfer of sovereignty,” the Iraqi elections held under conditions of occupation and the passage of a deeply flawed constitution—have lessened the violence and death in Iraq. To the contrary, as we see today, the war’s toll on Americans and Iraqis in lives, in treasure, and in human rights continues to rise.

Having waged an illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq, the U.S. has no perfect options left in Iraq. Maintaining the U.S. occupation by “staying the course,” with U.S. troops killing and dying in Iraq, is the worst possible choice. Ending the U.S. occupation of Iraq is the only solution to the war. The only way left to honor the deaths of the fallen on all sides is to ensure that no more follow in their footsteps.

But we must also work to make sure that no more Iraqi lives are lost. Even as the U.S. leaves, the safety of the Iraqi people must be ensured. As members of the Arab League and other parts of the international community are calling for a conference of national reconciliation so too should they be calling for a truly international peace keeping force to work with Iraqis after the U.S. occupation has ended. Side by side these processes can help repair the strong political divisions that now plague the country while working to keep all Iraqis safe.

President Bush vowed to continue his war and to stay the course in a speech marking the 2000th death saying, “This war will require more sacrifice, more time and more resolve.” We believe that it is time to end the sacrifices, reconsider our options, our goals, and the U.S. mission in Iraq. We must end the war, then we can talk about internationalizing the peace and making good on our debts to the people of Iraq. Our commitment to our nation’s soldiers and the well-being of Iraqis demands no less.

Phyllis Bennis, Erik Leaver and the IPS Iraq Task Force
October 25, 2005