On May 15, 2005, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) organized an anti-war informational walk down Pacific Ave in Santa Cruz. WILPF and supporters gathered at the Town Clock and walked down both sides of the Pacific Avenue sidewalks while handing out leaflets about The Cost of War.
Text of the leaflets handed out by WILPF:
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The Cost of War
Iraq as of May 15th, 2005:
* Over 1,600 U.S. soldiers have died in Iraq. (5/12/05 AP)
* 11,888 U.S. soldiers have been wounded. (Dept. of Defense - 2/10/05)
* Over 98,000 Iraqi have lost their lives - including women and children. (Lancet)
* More than 300 people including 155 U.S. soldiers have been killed since the Iraqi cabinet was installed March 28, 2005. (AP - 5/9/05)
* Violent resistance to the U.S. military occupation and the U.S. installed Iraqi government continues unabated.
- Three roadside bombs exploded in Baghdad targeting U.S. patrols. (5/13/05 U.S. military spokesman)
- In Baqouba, car bomb blasts targeted Iraqi army patrols in separate attacks more than seven hours apart. (AP 5/13/05)
- Iraq renewed its state of emergency for another 30 days following two weeks of insurgent-led violence that killed hundreds of people. (AP 5/13/05)
* Anti-U.S. feeling continues to mount around the world.
When will it cost too much?
* A plank of the winning Shiite party stated their desire for the U.S. military to withdraw its troops.
* The budget of $300 billion dollars for the war to date - over and above the annual $400 billion Pentagon budget - leaves public schools and health care in the U.S. short of funds. (LA Times, 4/27)
* Living conditions in Iraq have worsened since the U.S. invasion in 2003
- The number of Iraqi children under five suffering from malnutrition has doubled since the bombing of Iraq began. (World Food Program, 2004)
- Only 54 percent have access to clean water. Few have adequate sewer systems. (UN Iraq study)
- U.S. civilian authorities in Iraq cannot properly account for nearly $100 million promised for projects in south-central Iraq. (AP - 2/2/2005)
* We are creating another generation of veterans who, traumatized by their war time experience (as after Viet Nam), will end up on the streets.
* U.S. military killed more than 125 Iraqis in a week-long offensive in a remote desert area - 9 U.S. marines were killed. (AP - 5/15/05)
Santa Cruz WILPF
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Join us: The oldest women's peace organization in the world.
For information: 831-457-6797
www.WILPF.org
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Register today for WILPF's 2005 Congress!
August 10th - 14th, 2005
San Francisco State University, California.
Registration deadline is July 6th!
See Also:
FSRN: Counting the Costs of War
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Crossposted at Santa Cruz Indymedia.
