When War Becomes A Way of Life

It has been intriguing to watch the mixed reaction to the nuclear accord with Iran that can help the United States avoid another major war. The last major war the U.S. fought—the 2003 Iraq war—cost the taxpayers nearly two trillion dollars and about half a trillion in benefits still owed to veterans. More than 4,500 Americans died fighting that war and tens of thousands of veterans and their families continue to live with its consequences. It is, however, unclear what the nation as a whole has gained from those sacrifices. On the other end, the war resulted in deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and displacement of millions simply because they happened to be living in a country where the war was waged.