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By the Numbers - The Iraq War and National Security

As the President tries to distance himself from his “stay the course” slogan, the level of violence in Iraq continues to spiral out of control. October has been deadliest month in nearly two years and still the President and Republicans in Congress refuse to abandon their failed Iraq policy. More than 2,800 American troops have been killed and more than 21,000 brave men and women have been injured. Americans know it is time for a new direction in Iraq.

Cost of Violence in Iraq

Number of U.S. troops killed in Iraq: 2,808 [DoD, 10/27/06]

Number of U.S. troops wounded in Iraq: 21,266 [DoD, 10/27/06]

Number of wounded unable to return to duty: 9,600 [DoD, 10/27/06]

Number of troops killed so far this month (October): 96 – the highest since January 2005 [icasualties.org, 10/27/06]

Number of insurgents in Iraq in November 2003: 5,000 [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]

Number of insurgents in Iraq in September 2006: 20,000+ [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]

Number of civilian casualties in Iraq since U.S.-led invasion: estimates range from 39,400 – 62,000 [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]

Number of multi-fatality bombings in May 2004: 9 [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]

Number of multi-family bombings in September 2006: 47 [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]

Average number of daily attacks by insurgents in May 2004: 53 [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]

Average number of daily attacks by insurgents in September 2006: 105 [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]


Cost of the War to American Taxpayers

Amount appropriated for the Iraq War: $350 billion

Approximate U.S. currently spending in Iraq per month: $8 billion [CRS, 9/22/06]


Strain on the Military

Number of U.S. troops currently in Iraq (approximate): 144,000 [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]

Percent of U.S. troops that have been deployed more than once since September 2001: 30 [DoD, 8/31/06]

Percent of the Army’s available active duty combat brigades that have served at least a 12-month tour in Iraq or Afghanistan: 100 [Washington Post, 9/14/06]

Number of active duty or reserve brigades in the U.S. considered “combat ready”: 0 [Christian Science Monitor, 9/22/06]

Percent of troops currently deployed that are in the National Guard and Reserves: 23 [DoD, 8/31/06]

Number of National Guard and Reservists that have been mobilized since 2001: 500,000+ [GAO Testimony, 9/21/06] 

Number of National Guard and Reservists deployed more than once since 2001: 252,589 [DoD, 8/31/06]

Percent of National Guard combat and special operations battalions mobilized since September 11th: 95 [Foreign Policy Leadership Council, 2/06] 

Length of average tour of duty for National Guard members: 342 days [National Security Advisory Group, 1/06] 

Amount of essential equipment the Army National Guard has on-hand here at home: 30% [GAO Testimony, 9/21/06]

Amount Army needs to repair or replace equipment destroyed/deteriorated in Iraq: $66.1 billion [CBS/AP, 9/25/06]

Number of months after U.S. invasion of Iraq that all American soldiers received body armor: 18


Reconstruction Problems and Lack of Accountability

Amount of Iraqi reconstruction funds unaccounted for by the Coalition Provisional Authority: $8.8 billion [Boston Globe, 4/6/06]

Percent of Iraqi population with access to clean, potable water in June 2006: 25 [Council on Foreign Relations, 6/22/06]

Number of hours per day of electricity nationwide in Iraq, May 2006: 10 [Council on Foreign Relations, 6/22/06]

Oil production – barrels per day – prior to the war: 2.5 million [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]

Oil production – barrels per day – September 2006: 2.3 million [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]

Unemployment rate in Iraq today: estimates range from 25% to 40% [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]

Number of planned 136 sanitation and water projects that are set to be completed: 49 [Council on Foreign Relations, 6/22/06]

Amount the U.S. has allocated to private contractors for reconstruction and rebuilding efforts in Iraq since the beginning of the war. $50 billion [60 Minutes, 2/12/06]

Amount of taxpayer money spent by Halliburton that the Defense Contract Audit Agency has deemed either excessive or insufficiently documented:  $1.47 billion [Boston Globe, 6/28/05]

White House office that helped facilitate a no-bid Iraq reconstruction contract worth $7 billion to Halliburton: Vice President Cheney [GAO, June 2004]

Amount Halliburton has received in no-bid, “cost plus” contracts for Iraq reconstruction: more than $17 billion [House Government Reform Committee, Democratic Staff]


Terrorism & Weapons of Mass Destruction

Number of worldwide global terrorist attacks in 2004: 3,194 [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]

Number of worldwide global terrorist attacks in 2005: 11,111 [Brookings Institution, 10/23/06]

Days since 9/11 attacks that Osama bin Laden has remained free: 1872 [10/27/06]

Estimated minimum number of nuclear weapons likely produced by North Korea during the Bush Administration: 7 [Reuters, 10/26/06]

Percent decrease in funding for the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program to contain loose nuclear material under the President’s Fiscal Year 2007 budget: 10.4 [Center for American Progress, 5/3/06]


Homeland Security

Percent House Republicans have slashed First Responder Funding compared to 2003 funding levels: 32 [House Appropriations Committee, Democratic Staff, 10/3/06]

Amount President Bush and Congressional Republicans have cut from state and local law enforcement funding since 2001: $2 billion [House Appropriations Committee, Democratic Staff, 10/3/06]

Percent of cargo containers entering U.S. that are screened: 5 [Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs, 3/30/06]

Percent Immigration and Naturalization Service (later Department of Homeland Security) worksite immigration enforcement operations against companies were scaled back between 1999-2004: 99 [GAO, 8/05]

Percent decline in funding for air cargo security since FY 2005: 48 [CRS, 7/5/06]


Lack of Oversight

Number of public hearings Congressional Republican leaders have held to examine the role of the White House in manipulating intelligence about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and ties to al Qaeda: 0

Number of Congressional Republicans voting in favor of a privileged resolution introduced by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi demanding an investigation of Iraq intelligence and other issues by the Republican leadership and committees of jurisdiction: 0 [Vote #562; 11/3/05]

Number of hearings Congressional Republicans have held on the Vice President’s involvement in the award of Iraq reconstruction contracts to Halliburton: 0

Among the oversight requests that have been rejected by House Republicans:

  • a subpoena seeking all reconstruction contract communications between Cheney’s office and Halliburton; 
  • an independent commission to investigate the mismanagement of the war; 
  • an independent commission to investigate allegations of prisoner abuse in U.S. facilities abroad; and 
  • amendments prohibiting monopoly contracts and requiring congressional notification for Department of Defense contracts worth more than $1 million.



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