Five years ago today, George W. Bush and his team of corporate capitalists, the United States on false intelligence, false ideals, and ignorant stubbornness invaded Iraq.

Five years ago today, the many speeches given by Collin Powell, Dick Cheney, George Bush, Condaleeza Rice, John Ashcroft, Donald Rumsfeld, Karl Rove, and just about anyone else in his Cabinet in association with the mainstream corporate media, were able to convince a majority of people in this country that Iraq was a haven for terrorists, a home of Alqaeda, and center for weapons of mass destruction.

Five years later today, on the fifth anniversary of the Invasion AND Occupation of Iraq, we’ve wasted a trillion dollars on death and destruction. Money has bought this country:

the corpses of 1.2 million Iraqis. YES, 1.2 million Iraqis!

2.2 million internally displaced Iraqis.

2 million externally displaced Iraqis with nowhere to go.

A dozen short of 4,000 US troops dead.

1,000 US corporate contractors dead.

Tens of thousands injured.

And from the deaths and anguish of those people, many CEOs, members of government, and corporations have profitted from the war. You see, unlike any other war, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan is marked with the incredibly large involvement of private contractors. Alongside our 160,000 troops, 180,000 private mercanery contractors are involved in the violence that ensues every single day in Iraq. Author Jeremy Scahill has referred to it as the “shadow army.”

Lets not forget the reconstruction efforts which are supposed to include establishing a police force, rebuilding hospitals, schools, public establishments, basic utilities like water and electricity. No lie, 75% of the country is without clean water and electricity. So you must ask yourself where has the money gone? The Green Zone, where the Iraqi government has been housed by the Americans and where the US houses its 16 building mega permanent base, the largest permanent military base in the entire world by a foreign presence is the only place in Iraq where you will find fresh water, electricity, movie theater, fast food, and all the other things we enjoy in the United States.

Its been 5 years too many if you ask me… and 67% of this country and over 80% of the Iraqi people. While the people of the United States’s view of what’s going on in Iraq is severely limited by the content of the mainstream media (CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, Washington Post, New York Times, BBC, and others), what is IMPORTANT is the people of Iraq-  excuse me, the majority of the people of Iraq demand an immediate withdrawal of the American occupation of Iraq. We’re talking here about a people’s right to self-determination. Forget about the insane debate that goes on in the American media about whether the American people feel that we should withdraw or if its beneficial to “American interests” (code words for economic dominance of the region), the people of Iraq have made up their minds. They are grateful that Saddam is gone, but they will not put up with living the next couple of decades of their lives subject to US raids, insecurity, rape, violence, extreme poverty, famine, and disease.

The saying goes, “when people are occupied, resistance is justified.” That could not hold anymore truth today. However resistance among Iraqis will not be the only thing that brings an end to this war. Soldier’s resistance, like with the Vietnam war, will be crucial in ending it. Much like a labor strike, without workers the machine won’t run. If US soldiers resist, we will have no choice but to withdraw. In order for soldier’s to resist, the American public needs to be out supporting the withdrawal of our troops. Taking to the streets, organizing events and speakers, posting flyers, reading independent media sources, and a willingness to get involved in a long term struggle.

While may not feel the immediate effects of war here at home, just ask yourself why the economy is in shambles, why our country is bankrupt,  why 1/3 of the homeless are veterans, and why the military is having trouble keeping recruits. The United States spends $1 billion of our tax money every single month to fund the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan… was it worth it? If the Iraqis say no. We should say no. Iraq for Iraqis.

Without justice, there can never be peace. Troops and Mercaneries out now!