On March 19, 2003, from the basement of the White House, President Bush gave the "execute order" to begin Operation Iraqi Freedom, the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Five years later, the Middle Eastern nation is in the throes of a civil war with no political solution in sight, nearly 4,000 American troops and tens of thousands of Iraqi civilians have lost their lives, five million more Iraqis have been internally or externally displaced, and essential services are in disarray.

This anniversary, while sullen, provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the cost -- both in blood and treasure -- of this immoral and disastrous war. In Illinois alone, 143 soldiers have perished in Iraq, including four this year. The Iraq Coalition Casualty Count also reports that 1,077 Illinois troops have been wounded while on active duty.

The local cost of invading Iraq is equally staggering. Illinois taxpayers have contributed $28.3 billion to the war effort thus far. For the same amount, the National Priorities Project estimates that the state could have provided 11,818,644 people with health care, outfitted 37,624,577 homes with renewable electricity, hired 434,855 elementary school teachers, or granted 2,863,061 university students with scholarships.

While the Vice President gallivants around Baghdad claiming dramatic improvements in security and strides in political reconciliation, we should all keep the full cost of the endeavor in perspective.