No. 75 - 'Summary of the Iraq War for America'

The official ending of the war in Iraq on 15 December 2011 and the withdrawal of the American troops was not a moment of triumph for the US Army. Neither was it for the USA's position and status in the world. The operation, which began in March 2003, turned out to be a tragic failure for America, the consequences of which can be seen within various planes and dimensions. The direct costs were dramatic: 4.5 thousand American soldiers lost their lives in Iraq, more than 32 thousand were injured and more than 150 thousand Iraqis were killed. The costs of the military operation exceeded 800 billion dollars. If additional expenses are included, the total cost is supposed to reach almost 2 trillion dollars. This enormous price that America paid could have been justified if the Americans had left Iraq with the sense of completing their mission and reaching the goal which guided the authors of the operation. This was, however, not the case.