War At What Cost

Please see Nicholas D. Kristof's excellent article, which inspired this post.

Last week marked the 5-year anniversary, if one can call something so tragic in what's often used as a celebratory term, of the Iraq War. A group of seminarians and myself held a nighttime candlelight vigil, walking around campus and singing hymns for peace. We then gathered at the top of the hill to circle around and pray for those suffering from the war.

We've now passed the "Four Thousand Mark" in Iraq, a number none of were hoping we'd make: 4,000 servicemen and women dead, and another 30,000 injured and 100,000 diagnosed with a mental health issue like PTSD.

The $20 billion we're spending each month is the equivalent of $411 million per day or $5,000 per second... ... ... ... ... ... there goes my starting salaray as a pastor. A Congressional study found that the money spent each day in Iraq could fund an additional 58,000 children in Head Start or give 153,000 students Pell Grants for a year!

Total estimates for the war range from 1.2 to 3 TRILLION DOLLARS! Many are saying the war spending has had at least some effect on the current economic crisis. And yet we've borrowed all this money to pay for the war so far, as if we're charging the whole thing on credit. We (as in, my generation) will be paying for this war more than just with our lives, but with our livelihoods.

Since the so-called "surge" I do think there has been marginal 'success', if one can call a reduction in violence to now about one soldier's death a day, 'better.' The problem is that we're part of the 'solution', and as long as we're part of the solution, we'll be in Iraq indefinitely. Some think that's the card we have to play, but don't forget that 88% of active and retired military personnel believe Iraq is stretching our military forces dangerously thin.

Let's work for peace and pray our troops return home safely. Let's ask ourselves how we can best spend our resources. And let's work for a better tomorrow for all.

Pain at the Pump

After reading a NY Times Opinion piece...

My dad arrives tomorrow for a camping trip down to Big Sur, and that got me thinking about gas prices. (Ever since Emily's been here, I've let her use my car under the condition that I pay for insurance and she pays for gas.) While the average national price per gallon is a record $3.28, the average price in California is around $3.60. And yes, we have higher gasoline taxes here, among other things.

While oil is now over $100-a-barrel, U.S. consumer demand actually fell the first couple months of the year for the first time since 1997. Even so, the world demand shows no sign of diminishing, with India and China fastly coming on board to the age of personal, motorized transport we Americans have been enjoying for several generations. Meanwhile, oppressive regimes in Iran, Russia, Venzuela and Sudan are all benefiting with record profits.

I agree with the NY Times editorial piece that we need a new energy policy, and no, ethanol is not the answer. We need to harness renewable sources like wind, water and the sun, and progress is being made, from upstart companies to the well-entrenched. Our government should invest in R&D for these technologies, rather than focusing exclusively on oil.

Meanwhile, let us be economic in our consumption, walking or biking when we can and carpooling as much as possible. If we are self-disciplined in our desires, we can be good stewards of our limited resources.

(I suppose going down to Big Sur isn't necessary, but once there we'll be sure to hike a lot... and post some pictures!)