effects of iraq war on USA

In USA today I found a intresting article by Rick Hampson about the effect of the Iraq war in USA. He mentions that there are many psychologic effects of war. The way people think, feel, and act is changed. Some people say that the war in Iraq has made them pray and cry. The war has changed the way some people view their spirituality. Some people think it is more important now to have a relationship with life because of the death they hear about everyday in Iraq. Veterans have mental disorders because of what they have seen and experienced in war. War has also affected veterans by making them feel guilty for what they have done. The patriotism in the United States has been affected because people feel that what they have done is good and others feel harshly about what their country has done in Iraq. Even Americans who are not fighting in the war are also affected. "Rose Gill, 56, of Round Rock, Texas, lost her Marine son Steven to an improvised bomb last July in Iraq. She lost her job three weeks later because she was too distraught to go back to work." It is very hard to lose a son, father, friend, and it is hard to get back to normal life when you have lost a loved one. "Jim Murphy, 60, counsels returning veterans who have mental problems because of what they saw." The article says that some Americans don't think they have been affected at all. "A majority of poll respondents say they have not sent a letter, e-mail, or care package to troops in Iraq." Even though the destructive bombing is not happening in the United States, it can still effect the people there. In USA people can see the images of violence on television and newspapers. They hear everyday about "...roadside bombings, military funerals, shattered mosques, wounded children..." Hearing about these things makes people feel sad and depressed. People can feel helpless because their country is doing such harm and they have never felt the same harm as Iraq is feeling. Other people think that USA is helping Iraq because Sadam Hussain was killing the Kurds.