Some of the Unintended Consequences of the Iraq War | Teen Ink

Some of the Unintended Consequences of the Iraq War

May 12, 2016
By BennyV25 SILVER, Cannon Falls, Minnesota
BennyV25 SILVER, Cannon Falls, Minnesota
9 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Collective aggression, destruction, and high mortality. History today states that contrary to the the view point that war means for achieving political ends.There are always unintended consequences of war. People forget that war does not only mean fighting. The U.S’s participation in military conflict has head unexpected results. Some include social, economic, and political consequences.

Anti-Americanism has increased dramatically in the Middle East. According to The Foreign Policy in an  article written by Barry Rubin in 2002, Anti- Americanism is used, “as a foil to distract public attention from other far more serious situations that are happening.” That being said, the terror groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda use anti- Americanism for reasons why citizens should join their side of the battle for a better life, and not focus on the many real consequences of war. The more America gets involved in conflicts, the more Muslims join forces to protect their  culture. And, while Iraqi soldiers were trained by American forces to protect the new, Democratic government, the soldiers proved to be unreliable, ineffective, and untrustworthy. The new government was too weak to fight against growing numbers of civilians joining terror groups.


Civilians are paying a price, too. The casualties of the Iraq War for civilians reached upwards of tens of thousands of deaths, if not more, according to the Huffington Post. This is happening because of the shortages of food, the actual battle that is happening, and the infectious diseases that they have contracted due to the lack of clean, drinkable water. They have been displaced from their homes and country itself. Many are seeking a new life in neighboring countries, only to find little, if any work.


The economic consequence of the Iraq War has been enormous. According to an article written by  the Council of Foreign Affairs in 2007, “inflation rates are higher because of higher military spending. And the annual housing rates are projected to be lower than the higher military spending.” The Iraq War will cost America over $ 4 trillion dollars, more than World War II, in an article written by David R. Francis of the Global Policy Forum.The Institute for Economics and Peace states that the war was,” financed with debt.” That caused the collapse of the stock market and lagging economy. Now that the American economy seems to be recovering, we will continue to pay for equipment replacement and Veteran care. Thus adding to the cost of the Iraq war.
                           
Anti-American thoughts, the civilians caught in the crossfire, and the economic consequences are just a few of the unintended consequences of war.  Iraq is just another war. The United States will have to ‘pay’ for this war, just like they have done in the past, when they intervene in a conflict. ‘Chaos’ best describes the consequences of war. Without prior, extreme though as to why war must be waged, and to its intended outcome, unexpected achieving will plague the nation for years to come.



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