May 28, 2007 3:45 AM

Featured Partner: SEIU -- A Memorial Day Reflection on the Cost of War

SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger

Memorial Day is a time for reflection—especially on the terrible cost of war. This year, as we contemplate the Iraq war, we must have the fortitude to conclude that its cost is no longer bearable.

More than four years ago, this country was led to war by a president who persuaded us of—and many would say lied about—the threat to American lives. We engaged in an enterprise that neither enhanced our safety nor improved our standing in the world. We squandered goodwill, our good name, and a good number of resources. Thousands of American men and women have lost their lives, tens of thousands have been injured, and as many as 70,000 Iraqi civilians have died.

On this Memorial Day, the news media will reflect on the cost of the Iraq war. There will be updated death tolls, casualty reports and analyses of what $427 billion could have bought. There will be hand wringing and finger pointing. There will be hypotheticals, and there will be investigations.

What we need is action. It is time to get the troops out of Iraq.

SEIU opposed the war in 2004, and we oppose this war now. We oppose the war in Iraq simply because it is wrong: it is the wrong place, the wrong time, the wrong approach and the wrong reasons. We opposed the escalation; we opposed funding this war indefinitely.

And to be clear: we support the brave men and women who are fighting this war, many of whom are our members, our family and our friends.

Take James Gallagher, the son of an SEIU member in Iowa. Even while working as a highly skilled plumber, James could not afford to support his family or provide them with basic health care coverage. So last year he joined the National Guard because he loves his country and because he wanted to do everything he could to support his family. Today, James is in Iraq and his family is trying to get by without him. Although he was scheduled to be home this past April, with President Bush’s escalation, James’ tour has been extended – indefinitely.

We support James, as we support all of our troops. But supporting our troops means both making sure they have the resources they need and getting them out of harm’s way. We must redeploy our soldiers out of Iraq as soon as possible.

The Iraq War is a drain on critical resources. It threatens both the safety of our armed service members and the welfare of the general population. We have spent hundreds of billions on our failed policies in Iraq, and at the same time, tens of millions of people in the US remain uninsured, our education system is underfunded and underperforming, millions of children still live in poverty, and more and more families feel the promise of America slipping out of their grasp.

On this Memorial Day, we join with others who mourn the loss of our service men and women, as well as the many innocent civilians who have died in this war. And we call on the current administration to work with Congress to bring about a swift end to this ill conceived endeavor. It’s time to restore our good standing on the world stage. It’s time to get out of Iraq and get back to the business of working towards solutions that make America strong.

###

With 1.8 million members, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in North America. Focused on uniting workers in three sectors to improve their lives and the services they provide, SEIU is the largest health care union, including hospitals, nursing homes, and home care; the largest property services union, including building cleaning and security; and the second largest public employee union.