(Prospect,KY)OnthefifthanniversaryoftheIraqWar,MikeCassaroobserveswithsadness,thatithashadtoohighofahumancost. Publishedreportshaveshownthatapproximately4,000fineyoungAmericanhavediedinthiswarandanother30,000havebeenwounded.
Kentuckianshavegrievedoverthedeathsofoversixtyofourfinestyoungmenandwomen. Inaddition,approximately450Kentuckiansareamongthiswar’swounded.
MikeCassarosays: “IwillpraythisGoodFridayandEasterSundayforourAmericanyoungwomenandmeninIraq. Forthosewhohavedied,Iprayfortheireverlastingsoulsandfortheirfamilies. Forourwounded,Iprayforaspeedyandfullrecovery. Forouryouth,Ipraythattheywillneverhavetosacrificethemselvesforanothersenselessconflict.“
Mikealsosadlyobservesthatthiswarhashadtoohighofafinancialcost.ThemostrecentdatashowthatAmericantaxpayershavespentoverfivehundredbilliononthiswar,withaprojectedfinalcostofover1.4trilliondollars.Kentuckytaxpayershave,sofar,paid$4billionfortheIraqWar.
“Withthatmoney,nearlyallKentuckianscouldhavehadhomeswithrenewableelectricityandoveramillionKentuckianscouldhavehadsubsidizedhealthcare.Wecouldhavebuilthundredsofmoreschoolsandhiredhundredsofthousandsofnewteachersandpolicemen,”observesMikeCassaro.
ThiswasteofpossibilitiesremindsMikeCassaroofJohnGreenleafWhittier’sfamouswords:
“Forofallsadwordsoftongueorpen,Thesaddestarethese:'Itmighthavebeen.”
MikeCassarowonderswhatmighthavebeenforAmericaandKentucky,ifGeorgeW.BushhadnotdeclaredwaronIraq;awarthatMikeCassaroneversupportedandwouldhavenevervotedforasaU.S.Senator.
--MikeCassaroforU.S.SenatorCampaign;courtesyofFrankLeidermann,ActingEditor
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