War's agony

Recent reports on the near-fatal injury and miraculous recovery of ABC World News Tonight co-anchor Bob Woodruff have focused new attention on the serious nature of injuries sustained by thousands caught up in the war in Iraq.

Woodruff and his camera man, Doug Vogt were critically wounded when a roadside bomb ripped through their vehicle. Woodruff sustained traumatic brain injury that left him in a comma for weeks.

Last Tuesday evening ABC News aired a touching story about his experience in Iraq and the journey he and his wife and family endured on the road to his recovery.

Bob and Lee Woodruff have written a the book about their experience: In an Instant: A Family’s Journey of Love and Healing. You can order a copy by clicking on the Amazon.com link in the right margin of this page. I'm betting it will be an important and moving read.

Woodruff's experience forces us to face the horrors of the war. His latest report intends to bring new attention to all who sustain traumatic brain injuries while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I wonder how many of us stop on a regular basis to consider the cost of the conflict and the suffering that continues day after day on the other side of the world?

Over 3,100 U. S. soldiers have been killed.

Tens of thousands have come home wounded and scarred for life.

Thousands and thousands of Iraqi citizens, including huge numbers of women and children, have lost their lives and significant multiples of these numbers have sustained serious, life-altering injuries, including traumatic brain injury.

The war is horrible, beyond horrible.

Can we pray today for peace?

At least for today, can stop and pray for a new way through to a day of peace and reconciliation?

Please pray for peace during this one Sunday.

The War

I know that it won't matter, what I say, I mean.

Sometimes though, a person just needs to go ahead, lead with the chin and get things of the heart out in the open.

So, here goes.

To date the war in Iraq has cost the nation $365,000,000,000--and that is a conservative estimate. Earlier this week the President asked Congress for $237,000,000,000 in additional funds for the next year.

Sums of money this large more than boggle my very limited mind.

The funds and their use cut at my heart and move my soul deeply for many reasons, all related to life, priorities, purpose, outcomes, peace, justice and hope.

For today I will stick to brief observations about alternatives.

The National Priorities Project provides a running--"rushing" would be better--tabulation of the cost of the war. Take a moment and check the site out at: http://costofwar.com/index.html.

Just as striking are its estimates of the completely different outcomes that could have been realized with the application of funds at these same levels. What might the nation have been able to achieve had these same funds been applied to other pressing national issues?

For example. . .

• 48,000,000 children could have been enrolled in the pre-school programs of Head Start
• 218,000,000 children could have been fully insured
• 6,000,000 new public school teachers could have been recruited and hired
• 3,000,000 new units of housing could have been built
• 18,000,000 four-year, full scholarships to public universities could have been awarded

The possibilities are endless. Pick an area. Consider the weight of the assets involved. Dream a little.

Sadly, today our nation finds itself in a very difficult position as our leaders consider what to do next in Iraq. One thing is certain. The funding meter is still whirling.

Even sadder is the realization that this comparison is actually a cruel fantasy.

Can you imagine us deciding to actually appropriate and spend our national treasure on such matters as these I've listed as "alternatives"?

Like I say, I know this won't matter. But, I do feel better having expressed myself.