September 14, 2009 - This week, Veterans for Common Sense focuses on the escalating Afghanistan War fiasco. The frequent reports of massive civilian deaths, fuel tanker explosions, rampant drug smuggling, and bogus elections reveal a devastating tragedy.

Our national debt is more than $11 trillion. But where are the daily headlines and news broadcasts describing the trillions spent, and the hundreds of thousands of U.S. veterans physically and psychologically wounded?

VCS remains the only national organization using the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and revealing U.S. battlefield and post-war casualties. Read more about the facts about our battlefield casualties VCS uncovered using FOIA. We applaud few news outlets coving the costs of war, and we admonish the rest who knowingly fail to report the facts about the greates foreign policy blunder in U.S. military history.

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Exactly How Many People Are Dead, Wounded, Injured, or Ill?

The full scope of 425,000 battlefield and post-war casualties caused by the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars are rarely summarized by the press. This is due in part because the Pentagon intentionally only reports deaths and wounds. In contrast, VCS strives to report all casualties - killed, wounded, injured, and ill - on the battlefield and under VA care after fighting overseas.

A new article, Censorship American Style: Hide the US War Dead from the American People, reveals the disturbing Pentagon and press blackout of Iraq and Afghanistan war battlefield casualties. Our service members killed in the two wars are one tragic result, and we must honor their dedication to our Constitution. In addition, VCS demands a full public accounting of the civilians killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Here is one recent example of statistics about the costs of war. However, it fails to mention the harms to our service members and veterans caused by the failed Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive and unilateral war - a policy that appears to be continuing under President Obama.

We agree with a recent editorial written by Joseph Galloway at McClatchy News, who lamented how the Afghanistan War is not worth one more life, and he lists several very good reasons.

VCS is largely member-funded. This means your contribution gets put to work immediately so VCS can continue digging for facts and spreading the word about the true number of military and civilian casualties from both conflicts.

What are the Financial Costs of Two Escalating Wars?

The deaths caused by both wars are equally heartbreaking to families of troops here in America as well as and the families of civilians killed overseas. VCS wants to know: how much do these deaths, wounds, injuries, and illnesses cost American taxpayers - either directly or through our support of the Iraq government?

The amount of funds our US military has paid to families of Iraqi civilians killed or maimed in operations involving American troops skyrocketed from just under $5 million in 2004 to almost $20 million in 2006, according to Pentagon financial data. The cost has since been taken over by the Iraqi government - a government funded by our tax dollars and our purchases at the gas pump.

VCS wants a full reporting of the counts and costs of everyone killed, wounded, injured, and ill, plus the costs of disability benefits and healthcare for veterans in the U.S., Iraq, and Afghanistan.

When Congress investigates and the media reports the full human and financial costs of the two wars, then U.S. taxpayers will finally begin to realize we can no longer continue these two escalating conflicts. It is high time we leave these wars behind us, do our best to fix the damage, and reduce the chances for future pre-emptive, unilateral wars caused by the failed Bush Doctrine.

If you believe, like we do, that it is of vital importance to get the truth out to the American people, then please, click here to give to VCS today. Your contribution is tax-deductible, and will be put to work right away.

Thank you, Veterans for Common Sense