A recent edition of The Times Record included an editorial by the New Haven Register concerning the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. However, it did not reveal the full cost and commitment on our part.

Although some troops will be leaving, some will remain as advisers, along with a surge of diplomats and contractors.

Figures issued by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee describe the magnitude of the project:

— Almost 700 foreign service officers.

— The largest embassy ever built, with four satellite offices.

— A State Department Air Force consisting of a fixed wing fleet of four turboprops, 14 Twin Huey helicopters and 44 Sikorsky helicopters. Our helicopters will operate in Baghdad for surveillance and ground movement air support.

— An army of private contractors that will provide Iraq a larger economic stimulus package than Senate Republicans will ever allow within U.S. borders; 3,650 security contractors in Baghdad, 600 in Irbil, 335 in Mosul, all hired through Worldwide Protective Services.

— The military and civilian staff of 200 at the Baghdad Embassy will increase to 800, supported by 3,000 or more life-support and security contractors who might contract their own helicopter fleet. The embassy compound will be supported by a planned 15 satellite sites, three air hubs, three police training centers, two consulates, two embassy branch offices and five Office of Security Cooperation sites.

— Roughly 17,000 individuals are expected to be under “chief of mission” authority, the number of American diplomats is projected to remain at 650, with an additional several hundred functional staff at the embassy from other government agencies, including USAID and the departments of the Treasury, Justice and Agriculture.

— The cost of State Department operations in Iraq is expected to reach 6 billion a year, of which 3 billion will go to actual diplomatic operations, twice the previous year’s Iraq budget and more than 25 percent of the State Department’s entire operational budget.

— Arms sales professionals sell more weapons systems than Iraqi armed forces could absorb without technical support for the U.S.

The big winners are weapons contractors. The big losers are the American taxpayers.

The New Haven Register editorial states that Iraq wanted the occupation ended, and its parliament refused to grant immunity from Iraqi law for any troops who remain. So why is this not respected?

Is the U.S. imposing its own decision on an unwilling country just as it did with the invasion?

What justification can our president give for squandering our treasure on such a mis-adventure? How can our Congress acquiesce to fund this extravagance?

The citizens of both the U.S. and Iraq are suffering as a result. Health problems are proliferating in Iraq due to a lack of funds and health care personnel. Enrollment in schools has declined. An estimated 3.5 million to 5 million people were displaced by the war.

One half million people are living in settlements that are poor. There is a shortage of clean water, sanitation and electricity.

UNICEF needed $50 million to improve health care for children, but was able to raise on $7 million.

Thousands of women and girls have been driven to prostitution. Rising Islamic militancy has stripped the rights of millions. The status of human rights is fragile and miserable.

Economic conditions are deteriorating. More than half of all Iraqis live in slum conditions, compared to 17 percent in 2000.

We need an Occupy State Department! An Occupy Congress.

BETTY COLE lives in Georgetown.