September 1, 2010 - As U.S. combat troops leave Iraq, Sisters of Mercy reflect on the seven years of U.S. military action in that country, and the tragic outcomes and effects of both that war and the years of sanctions prior to the 2003 U.S. invasion. 

In March 2003, the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, supporting their commitment to the practice of nonviolence, publicly stated their opposition to the use of military force against the people of Iraq.

Click here to read the Sisters of Mercy Public Statement Opposing War Against Iraq

During the seven years of war:                       
•    4,420 U.S. military personnel were killed
•    Close to 32,000 U.S. military personnel were seriously wounded
•    An estimated 97,000 to 106,460 Iraqi civilians died
•    $900 billion U.S. tax dollars were spent
•    4.7 million Iraqis fled their homes to become refugees within Iraq or in other countries.

The departure of combat troops brings to a close the public opposition of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas to the war in Iraq.  However our public statement continues to resonate, particularly in its commitment to the practice of nonviolence, and its urging leaders to “Reflect on the probable repercussions on the Islamic world of the United States’ initiating an attack based on fear and suspicion against an Islamic nation.”

The United States has a moral responsibility to aid Iraq, which has suffered dearly.  We need to continue to provide the necessary resources to strengthen civil society so that the people of Iraq can rebuild their systems for education, healthcare, and economic recovery.

You can help:
•    Keep the Iraqi people in your prayers, as well as the U.S. service personnel who have been wounded and families who have lost a loved one.
•     Sign a petition to tell Congressional leaders that funding for essential civil society programs in Iraq cannot be cut.

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