By Reginald Johnson
NORWALK --- How much has the Iran War cost US taxpayers?
Try $35 billion.
You read it right --- $35 billion.
And that's just since February 28, when the US and Israel launched their unprovoked attack on Iran. Since then the cost of the war is running $1 - $2 billion a day.
If the ceasefire falls apart, as expected, the cost of the war will run over $100 billion in a matter of weeks.
A growing number of people, including peace advocates and others, are seeing the Iran War as not only illegal and immoral, but a huge theft of taxpayer money that should be used to address a myriad of social needs at home.
One of those is Benjamin Wesley, who gathered with other activists last Sunday on the bridge over I-95 off Exit 16, to hold banners and signs protesting the war and demand that the nation's priorities be redirected.
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| Benjamin Wesley protesting the Iran War at Sunday's demonstration in Norwalk. |
"The US government is cutting a number of social programs like Medicare, Medicaid, Head Start and others to fund the war," said Wesley, of the organization The Peace Pact.
"We're out here today with colleagues from World Beyond War, Veterans for Peace, Jewish Voices for Peace and others to say, bring those resources back home to meet the needs of the people and create a more equitable society," he said.
The group unfurled a banner that read "Stop the War in Iran" and placed it over the top of the bridge in the view of motorists on the thruway. Members of the group also held signs urging an end to the war and handed out fliers that read "Stop the US taxpayer funded slaughter."
The demonstration got a good reception from most drivers going by on East Avenue, with many honking their horns in approval or giving the thumbs up. One or two gave the finger.
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| Demonstrators opposing the Middle East wars in Norwalk. From left to right, Andrew Rice, Benjamin Wesley, John Miksad and Stephanie Carrow. |
The fliers said people can get involved in the anti-war effort by calling members of the state's congressional delegation at 202-224-3121 and demand that the war end and that senators or congress members vote "no" on any more funding for the war.
"That's the way the Vietnam War ended. They stopped the funding," said Wesley.
He also urged people to protest outside Connecticut's many defense contractors, such as Colt Manufacturing and Sikorsky, which receive millions in US dollars to make weapons used by Israel in the wars in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza.
Local resident Patrick Servidio showed up at the protest dressed as General George Washington.
"I led the fight for freedom against the British," he said. "Now we are the British."
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| General George Washington at the protest. |
