On March 20, 2003, the United States invaded Iraq. For many prior months, millions across the country and around the world gathered in rallies and protests to show their dissent for a war that seemed almost inevitable.

Once the war began, many Americans felt it was important to stand behind their president and troops by supporting the war, even if they originally disagreed with it. However, many continued to disagree with the war on moral, political, philosophical and pragmatic grounds.

Millions of Americans still think the invasion of Iraq was a mistake — the costs are simply too high. According to iraqbodycount.com, there have been between 8,437 and 10,282 innocent Iraqi civilian deaths since the bombing began nearly a full year ago.

The war has not been kind to military personnel either. As of March 5, there had been 648 coalition deaths, 551 of them American, according to CNN. Of those Americans lost, 11 were Iowans. Another 3,146 soldiers have been injured in Iraq.

In addition to these lost coalition lives, there are untold Iraqi military deaths.

The lives lost in this war are not the only costs of this war. Thousands of American soldiers have been taken away from their families. Children have had to live with grandparents, uncles or family friends while their parents fight a war thousands of miles away.

In addition, this war has been a financial burden on our budget at a time when this country is experiencing its largest deficits ever. Costofwar.com, which gets its figures from the Congressional Budget Office, estimates the total cost at $104.8 billion, enough money to provide a full year of health care to 32 million children.

The money spent on this war could easily be spent in different ways to improve the quality of life in this world. The War Resister’s League estimates the $46 million spent in one hour of war in Iraq could be spent to improve, repair and modernize 20 schools in the United States.

Our college tuition continues to skyrocket, while financial aid becomes scarcer.

The government tells us the money isn’t there for our education, but even when it isn’t there for a senseless war in Iraq, we spend it anyway.

We are told we need to spend this money on national security — yet the invasion of Iraq has not made Americans any safer. Because of the destabilization of the country, terrorism has found a new home in Iraq.

Al-Qaida, once absent from Iraq, has been able to recruit new followers in Iraq. Iraqis and American soldiers are in danger from terrorist attacks daily.

The war in Iraq has also diverted our attention away from Osama bin Laden, al-Qaida and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

This war has also cost the United States dearly in international relations. After Sept. 11, countries and peoples around the world were in support of us.

However, by ignoring international sentiment and unilaterally invading Iraq, we have alienated some of our most important allies, such as France and Germany.

While we have been successful in toppling Saddam Hussein’s regime and capturing him, has it been worth the cost? Millions across the United States would answer no.

On the anniversary of the invasion, vigils, rallies and protests will be held across the country to show dissent against this war.

You can voice your disagreement with this war as well. Time For Peace will be holding a vigil at 5:30 p.m. on March 21 on the corner of Lincoln Way and Welch Avenue. Our goal is to express that the costs of this war have been too high.

We hope to have enough people line Lincoln Way so that each person could represent an American lost to this war— 551 people in total. Please join us on March 21.

Mike Faris is an undeclared graduate student from Mount Ayr. He is a member of Time for Peace.