--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the three years since our nation began…" description: "\"In the three years since our nation began operations in Iraq, more than 2,500 Americans have been killed and more than 18,000 Americans have been serio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ike-skelton-28669_iraq_in-the-three-years-since-our-nation-bega_2497051.png" --- # In the three years since our nation began operations in… ![“In the three years since our nation began operations in Iraq, more than 2,500 Americans have been killed and more than 18,000 Americans have been seriously wounded” quote by Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ike-skelton-28669_iraq_in-the-three-years-since-our-nation-bega_2497051.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ike-skelton-28669_iraq_in-the-three-years-since-our-nation-bega_2497051.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ike-skelton-28669_iraq_in-the-three-years-since-our-nation-bega_2497051.png) > “In the three years since our nation began operations in Iraq, more than 2,500 Americans have been killed and more than 18,000 Americans have been seriously wounded” [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The cost of war includes many lives lost and many more injured, highlighting its human toll. **In simple terms:** War causes many deaths and injuries. Key Takeaway Recognize the human cost of conflict. Themes war human cost military policy ethics Mood somber reflective Type political ethical When to use this quote - Military engagement - public health - political decision making Key Concepts Casualties injury public opinion policy debate Questions to Reflect On - How do societies balance security with human loss? - What alternatives could reduce civilian harm? A Different Perspective Even with high casualties, strategic objectives may be deemed essential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) [Wounded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wounded/) ## Related quotes > [“A person who has been seriously wounded does not demand that the bandages that save his life be clean.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukio-mishima/a-person-who-has-been-seriously-wounded-does-not-demand-that-the/) [Yukio Mishima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukio-mishima/) > [When we have 13,000 Americans living on the moon, they can petition to become a state,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/when-we-have-13-000-americans-living-on-the-moon-they-can-petition-to/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [Do you know what's hard about being too strong? Sometimes, nobody might care to ask if you're hurt. And no one will believes that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/do-you-know-what-s-hard-about-being-too-strong-sometimes-nobody-might/) Pacifiersucker > [Thousands of Americans have been killed by illegal immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/thousands-of-americans-have-been-killed-by-illegal-immigrants/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The number of Americans killed since 9/11 by terrorism, it's less than 100. If you look at the number that have been killed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-number-of-americans-killed-since-9-11-by-terrorism-it-s-less-than/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The doves in this country and some of the media are the cause of fifty-some-odd-thousand Americans being killed and all that money being spent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-wallace/the-doves-in-this-country-and-some-of-the-media-are-the-cause-of/) [George Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-wallace/) > [Americans are the nicest, most generous, and sentimental people on earth. Yet Americans have killed more unborn children than any nation in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/americans-are-the-nicest-most-generous-and-sentimental-people-on/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) > [As we have heard, the end of al-Zarqawi is a significant blow to al-Qaida operations in Iraq. It is another clear indication of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-have-heard-the-end-of-al-zarqawi-is-a-significant-blow-to-al/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“By the end of 2004, U.S. operations in Iraq had been rough enough to antagonize the Sunni population without imposing the draconian methods armies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bing-west/by-the-end-of-2004-u-s-operations-in-iraq-had-been-rough-enough-to/) [Bing West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bing-west/) > [Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and the war on terrorism have reduced the pace of military transformation and have revealed our lack of preparation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/operations-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-and-the-war-on-terrorism-have/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Since United States military operations in Iraq began in 2003, I have visited Iraq at least 15 times. But unlike politicians who visit, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-prince/since-united-states-military-operations-in-iraq-began-in-2003-i-have/) [Erik Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-prince/) > [My fellow Americans: Major combat operations in Iraq have ended. In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-fellow-americans-major-combat-operations-in-iraq-have-ended-in-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [“In all these operations Iraq made extensive use of chemical weapons which, apart from Saddam’s determination to get the Iranians off Iraqi territory at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/efraim-karsh/in-all-these-operations-iraq-made-extensive-use-of-chemical-weapons/) [Efraim Karsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/efraim-karsh/) > [My fellow Americans: Major combat operations in Iraq have ended." Under the banner "Mission Accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/my-fellow-americans-major-combat-operations-in-iraq-have-ended-under/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A poet is wounded into speech, and he examines these wounds, meticulously, to discover how to heal them. The bad poet harangues at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-r-delany/a-poet-is-wounded-into-speech-and-he-examines-these-wounds/) [Samuel R. Delany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-r-delany/) ## More by Ike Skelton > [In fact, because of their connection to the land, farmers do more to protect and preserve our environment than almost anyone else. They are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/in-fact-because-of-their-connection-to-the-land-farmers-do-more-to/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [Our country will not stand for any political plan that includes amnesty for insurgents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/our-country-will-not-stand-for-any-political-plan-that-includes/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [Today nearly every combat brigade located within the United States would report that they are not ready for duty. They are at the lowest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/today-nearly-every-combat-brigade-located-within-the-united-states/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [It is vital that Iraq and the United States together send the clearest possible signal that those who commit acts of violence against American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/it-is-vital-that-iraq-and-the-united-states-together-send-the/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [That the Iraqi Government is considering a political deal granting amnesty to insurgents who have attacked or killed American service members is not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/that-the-iraqi-government-is-considering-a-political-deal-granting/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [We have global interests, potential threats from elsewhere, North Korea, Iran, Taiwan Straits and the like. We must be prepared for any future threat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/we-have-global-interests-potential-threats-from-elsewhere-north-korea/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [In addition to relieving patient suffering, research is needed to help reduce the enormous economic and social burdens posed by chronic diseases such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/in-addition-to-relieving-patient-suffering-research-is-needed-to-help/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [Better treatment and detection methods have also improved the survival rate for people with cancer, and for the first time in history, this year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/better-treatment-and-detection-methods-have-also-improved-the/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [The goal of NIH research is to acquire new knowledge to help prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat disease and disability, from the rarest genetic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/the-goal-of-nih-research-is-to-acquire-new-knowledge-to-help-prevent/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [The Government of Iraq also owes a debt to the American and coalition forces who are fighting the insurgency and helping put that country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/the-government-of-iraq-also-owes-a-debt-to-the-american-and-coalition/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [The number of attacks on the American and allied forces is at the highest level since the insurgency began despite the increase of America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/the-number-of-attacks-on-the-american-and-allied-forces-is-at-the/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [Congress must make it clear that common animal waste will not expose farmers to liability under Superfund, while ensuring continued action to clean up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/congress-must-make-it-clear-that-common-animal-waste-will-not-expose/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [During the 2000 election, the current administration told our military, help is on the way. That is clearly not the case. The administration has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/during-the-2000-election-the-current-administration-told-our-military/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [Farmers in Missouri and across the country must comply with a variety of federal, state, and local regulations as they grow the crops and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/farmers-in-missouri-and-across-the-country-must-comply-with-a-variety/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) > [Modern medical advances have helped millions of people live longer, healthier lives. We owe these improvements to decades of investment in medical research](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/modern-medical-advances-have-helped-millions-of-people-live-longer/) [Ike Skelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) [Explore all 19 Ike Skelton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/) ## More Iraq quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Five days or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last longer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/five-days-or-five-months-but-it-certainly-isn-t-going-to-last-longer/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [In the Green Zone in Iraq you have your radio, you have your food, you have your own electricity, your own toilets. Everything is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-colla/in-the-green-zone-in-iraq-you-have-your-radio-you-have-your-food-you/) [Elliott Colla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-colla/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [“Here you can shoot the bad guys,' a mercenary says in Baghdad. 'In America we give them corporate bonuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/here-you-can-shoot-the-bad-guys-a-mercenary-says-in-baghdad-in/) [Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/) > [I believe Saddam Hussein's strategic objective was, and remains, to assert dominance over the Gulf region.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandy-berger/i-believe-saddam-hussein-s-strategic-objective-was-and-remains-to/) [Sandy Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandy-berger/) > [In the lead up to the Iraq war and its later conduct, I saw at a minimum, true dereliction, negligence and irresponsibility, at worse,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-zinni/in-the-lead-up-to-the-iraq-war-and-its-later-conduct-i-saw-at-a/) [Anthony Zinni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-zinni/) > [There aren't traditions of freedom in a place like Iraq. They're going to have to come to grips with a concept that they hadn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wallop/there-aren-t-traditions-of-freedom-in-a-place-like-iraq-they-re-going/) [Malcolm Wallop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wallop/) > [In any event, it is one thing to assert, then or now, that the Iraq war was ill-advised. It is quite another to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-silberman/in-any-event-it-is-one-thing-to-assert-then-or-now-that-the-iraq-war/) [Laurence Silberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-silberman/) > [It might interest you that just as the U.S. was ramping up its involvement in Vietnam, LBJ launched an illegal invasion of the Dominican…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-might-interest-you-that-just-as-the-u-s-was-ramping-up-its/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [The U.S. cannot impose freedom, security, and unity in Iraq by force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-defazio/the-u-s-cannot-impose-freedom-security-and-unity-in-iraq-by-force/) [Peter DeFazio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-defazio/) > [While not widely reported, our victories in Iraq are plentiful. National elections, a democratic parliament and the drafting of a constitution are just some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-gillmor/while-not-widely-reported-our-victories-in-iraq-are-plentiful/) [Paul Gillmor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-gillmor/) > [The tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/the-tyrant-has-fallen-and-iraq-is-free/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) [Browse all 2,606 Iraq quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In the three years since our nation began operations in Iraq, more than 2,500 Americans have been killed and more than 18,000 Americans have been seriously wounded", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ike Skelton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/in-the-three-years-since-our-nation-began-operations-in-iraq-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Iraq" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/in-the-three-years-since-our-nation-began-operations-in-iraq-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ike-skelton-28669_iraq_in-the-three-years-since-our-nation-bega_2497051.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ike-skelton-28669_iraq_in-the-three-years-since-our-nation-bega_2497051.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/443/ike-skelton-28669_iraq_in-the-three-years-since-our-nation-bega_2497051.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the three years since our nation began operations in Iraq, more than 2,500 Americans have been killed and…” — Ike Skelton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ike Skelton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-skelton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "In the three years since our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/in-the-three-years-since-our-nation-began-operations-in-iraq-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-skelton/in-the-three-years-since-our-nation-began-operations-in-iraq-more/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```