Occasionally I get email with a link to a really good short video. This one is about the financial and human costs of the Iraq invasion and occupation. I encourage you to take a look at it. It's called "The Three Trillion Dollar Shopping Spree."

I shopped for the following on my $3 trillion budget.

Heifers for 600,000,000 families through Heifer International
PRICE: $300,000,000,000.00

Two-week peacemaking trip to Israel/Palestine for 3,800,000 US Citizens with Christian Peacemaker Teams
PRICE: $7,980,000,000.00

Intensive Spanish lessons in a Guatemalan language school for 70 million US Citizens, for eight weeks including food, lodging, airfare, and spending money
PRICE: $322,000,000,000.00

10 Years' Salary and Benefits for 2 million school teachers at an annual rate of $70,000
PRICE: $1,400,000,000,000.00

Birkenstock Sandals for 6 billion people, to keep everyone's feet healthy in warm weather
PRICE: $720,000,000,000.00

Front Doors for 1 billion family dwellings through Habitat for Humanity
PRICE: $150,000,000,000.00

Kitchen sinks for 1 billion family dwellings through Habitat for Humanity
PRICE: $100,000,000,000.00

MerleFest 4-day pass with best reserved seating for 3,600 people
PRICE: $810,000.00

2008 Toyota Prius Hybrid car, which I can't afford on my usual budget
PRICE: $22,300.00

Russian-made high-tech Space Toilet, which could come in handy someday
PRICE: $19,000,000.00

Speech Therapy/Coaching for the President, VP, Cabinet and Members of Cabinet Rank, National Security Advisor, and members of Congress (four hours each) so that none of these national leaders will mispronounce the word "nuclear"
PRICE: $167,700.00

TOTAL: $3,000,000,000,000.00

"Children of the Americas" is a series of articles in the Miami Herald. The latest one deals with hunger in Guatemala, where more children are hungry and malnourished than in any other country of this hemisphere. Earlier articles deal with Haiti, Honduras, and Argentina. (You may have to register to read these articles, but there is no charge.)

While trillions fund regime change and foment civil war, a few million would feed these children. A few million would fund projects like those sponsored by Heifer International and World Vision to provide a sustainable life for these families.

On a related note, did you know that Heifer International has programs targeted to orphans and mothers who have been devastated by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in southern Africa. In Uganda, Kenya, and other places, milk can increase the protein in diets so that AIDS drugs are more effective, as well as provide family income to purchase medications. As if I needed it, I have one more reason to support Heifer International.