WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama on Wednesday signed into law a $106 billion measure to fulfill his plans to wind down the war in
Iraq and ramp up operations in Afghanistan where fighting against militants is intensifying.
news.yahoo.com...
Folks have seen higher numbers than that flying through the free press lately, so it's not something to get too much excited about, unless the next
week paychecks show a number bit lower than usual -- a direct contribution to the financing of the wars. The process of borrowing and paying later
takes care of the expenses.
What is the cost of both wars against armed civilian population in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Recommended reading:
It was supposed to be a quick war and a cheap one. Five years later, 160,000 U.S. troops are still in Iraq. And the costs keep piling up - $12
billion every month - putting a strain on an already faltering economy.
Because the money for the war is being borrowed, interest payments could add another $615 billion. A heavily depleted military will have to be rebuilt
at a cost of $280 billion. Disability benefits and health care for Iraq war veterans, many of them severely injured, could add another half-trillion
dollars over their lifetime.
Nobel laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz and Harvard University public finance Professor Laura Bilmes, both of whom served in the Clinton
administration, have included those calculations in a new study of the war's long-term costs. Their estimate of the war's price tag: $3
trillion.
www.sfgate.com.../c/a/2008/03/17/MNBVVL9GK.DTL
By the way, how much does it cost to close the door?
Well, you need to WD40 the hinges, the Obama style:
The legislation did not include $80 million Obama wanted for closing Guantanamo and bans releasing any detainees into the United States through
September 30. But it allows detainees to be brought to U.S. soil for trial.
I knew the USA would have the most generous prez in its history right after the cost of the inaugural bash came in.
[edit on 6/25/2009 by stander]
