The Cost of our Wars since 2001

Since 2001, we have been in a long lasting war in Iraq and Afghanistan. But how much debt has it accrued?

I keep hearing so much screaming about our National debt and liabilities thrown upon our children....with which I agree with 100 percent. The debt is completely out of control and has been for a long time and I've criticized it since I first starting visiting ATS.


Nearly 1 Trillion dollars......according to this site.

costofwar.com...

Almost 700 billion for Iraq....230 billion for Afghanistan. I don't actually believe these numbers are accurate as I think they are much higher.

We've lost nearly 6000 soldiers since 2001. That is 166,666,666 dollars per life lost according to these numbers.

Don't scream about the debt and deficits and ignore the cost of war...which by the way...HAS NO END SIGHT.

Originally posted by David9176
Since 2001, we have been in a long lasting war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Nearly 1 Trillion dollars......according to this site.

Almost 700 billion for Iraq....230 billion for Afghanistan. I don't actually believe these numbers are accurate as I think they are much higher.

Don't scream about the debt and deficits and ignore the cost of war...which by the way...HAS NO END SIGHT.

Interesting.

Bush spent a trillion in wars on other countries over 8 years.

Obama spent (with interest) more than that on a war against the states in 8 months.

Twisted bit of logic that someone would oppose the first and support the second.

reply to post by badgerprints

Obama spent (with interest) more than that on a war against the states in 8 months. Twisted bit of logic that someone would oppose the first and support the second.

It works the same vice versa as well. Both Dems and Reps have been voting for an passing large military spending bills. No party...and neither administration...is immune.

We can't stop our deficits if we don't end the wars people. Do you have the money to pay for it? I know I don't.

Originally posted by David9176

We can't stop our deficits if we don't end the wars people. Do you have the money to pay for it? I know I don't.

Nope.

We don't have it.

It doesn't seem to matter though.

They will just keep borrowing or printing money. We're past the point of ever being able to justify it or pay it back. When the dollar collapses the wealthy and privledged will retreat to safe havens with their ill gotten gains and the people will suffer for their actions.

Woo! There is no way that money could of been better* spent! What's the body count for our hard earned money? An Estimated 1,339,771! Hot damn! Hitler is jealous, Stalin too. They wish they could rack up genocide like that.

#$%@#$%#@^$##$^#$#%
Stuff likes this makes me want to take a board and write WAKE UP on it and walk around and facebash people..

[edit on 5-11-2009 by RjKon]

I wonder if the future costs of caring for disabled veterans, plus the monthly disability payments for each injured veteran and the payments to family members of deceased veterans are even considered in the cost analysis of these, IMHO, freakin' unnecessary wars.

I'm not complaining, but I receive veterans disability pay and have been since 1992 for injuries and illness incurred in Iraq in the first Gulf War. It's adding up. Like I said, I am not complaining because I am living high on the hog with my 20 thousand a year. That last line was sarcasm, by the way.

reply to post by badgerprints


There's a big difference of course. Bush' eight trillion has resulted in well over a million dead, millions more homeless, thousands of dead Americans, thousands of disabled Americans, two destroyed countries with nothing resembling an economy, and a lessening of American prestige and security in the world.

Obama's TWO has, so far, not destroyed any countries, produced any Homeless, killed any people, American or otherwise, disabled any other people - American or otherwise again - and has had at worst a neutral impact om American prestige and security, and has at best improved both. Also it's six trillion less than what Bush spent on all that crap.

But I suppose information is to you what garlic is to vampires. HISSSSSSSS!

reply to post by David9176


Yes, there is always money for wars, but no money to save the starving.

As I said in the recent post, humans are pretty evil.

They would kill their fellowman rather than feeding him.

Originally posted by RjKon
Woo! There is no way that money could of been better* spent! What's the body count for our hard earned money? An Estimated 1,339,771! Hot damn! Hitler is jealous, Stalin too.

That comes to 746,396 per head. Those are either some mighty expensive bullets we be using, or there is some serious profiteering going on.

Dont forget the cost of bush's tax cuts for the rich in the same period!
Or maybe its better to just forget......

Through fiscal year 2007, tax legislation enacted since 2001 has had a direct cost of $1.3 trillion, according to Joint Committee on Taxation and CBO estimates. Another $900 billion in direct costs will be incurred by 2018, even if the tax cuts expire as scheduled (and excluding the cost of the recently enacted stimulus legislation).

www.cbpp.org...
Yet obama is looked at as the beast!
You couldn't write a better disaster movie!
Killins' kewl apparently though. Isn't it?
Compassion is for wimps. Na ga da. Boo yah~!
S & F!

[edit on 6-11-2009 by dodadoom]

Just one lil' ol post:

The 10 Most Brazen War Profiteers

In early 2005 CIA officials told the Washington Post that at least 50 percent of its estimated $40 billion budget for that year would go to private contractors, an astonishing figure that suggests that concerns raised about outsourcing intelligence have barely registered at the policymaking levels....
Titan, on the other hand, has so far escaped any serious consequences for its problems (in early 2005, it pleaded guilty to three felony international bribery charges and agreed to pay a record $28.5 million Foreign Corrupt Practices Act penalty). The company's contract with the Army has been extended numerous times and is currently worth over $1 billion...
The San Francisco-based construction and engineering giant received one of the largest no-bid contracts -- worth $2.4 billion -- to help coordinate and rebuild a large part of Iraq's infrastructure. But the company's reconstruction failures range from shoddy school repairs to failing to finish a large hospital in Basra on time and within budget....
The General Accounting Office (GAO) estimates 48,000 private security and military contractors (PMCs) are stationed in Iraq. The Pentagon's insistence on keeping a lid on military force requirements (thereby avoiding the need for a draft) is one reason for that astronomical growth, which has boosted the fortunes of the "corporate warriors" so much that observers project the industry will be a $200 billion per year business by 2010.

www.alternet.org...
I could fill an entire thread with this info, but I'm getting ill thinking of all
the dead that gave their lives for profits! Wheeee!
War is big bidness! Ain't it peachy!

Originally posted by Paroxysm

Originally posted by RjKon
Woo! There is no way that money could of been better* spent! What's the body count for our hard earned money? An Estimated 1,339,771! Hot damn! Hitler is jealous, Stalin too.

That comes to 746,396 per head. Those are either some mighty expensive bullets we be using, or there is some serious profiteering going on.

Striking

higher education for many type money

It's sad really

Notice who is not up in this thread?

They have all abandoned ATS simultaneously, its a miracle!!!

Just like they vote against gay marriage to protect the gay people from being controlled by the government...

Originally posted by David9176
It works the same vice versa as well. Both Dems and Reps have been voting for an passing large military spending bills.

That is so true. Both sides voted in support of the war in Iraq as well aside from afew Dems and one republican. Hillary Clinton and Kerry both supported the war before they opposed it. It is unbelievable..

You know the military increase on Military expenditure over the last 8years was $1 trillion?? And that was increase and excluded Iraq.
news.bbc.co.uk...

I really sigh at many of those crying out about "fiscal responsibility" because when those military bills went through, I didnt hear anything.

I admit I am one of those that has supported Afghanistan since 9/11, I am one of those who do believe we were attacked by the Taliban and that we have duty to hunt those pigs out of Afghanistan after what they did.... admittedly it is rather complicated as to where I stand for withdrawal.... and then again I look at the families suffering... but then how do avenge those that has suffered during 9/11? It seems the major point to disgree with the war on this website is one this entire 9/11 conspiracy and Im sorry I dont buy it.... I cannot stand to see those pigs run free if we were to withdraw from afghanistan.

reply to post by dodadoom


Ya know what dodadoom... they say war is necessary for the survival of the western economy..... I couldnt image something as horrible as that statement being true....

reply to post by Southern Guardian


SG, you are very correct, it takes two to tango properly.

There was never an exit "strategery"!
Was never, our intention to leave. Ever!
Wonder how many still don't even realize that?
Apparently its a big shocker to most we're still there.
Even if the people demanded it! (which they won't of course)

Mission accomplished? Uh huh. Ya.....

reply to post by Southern Guardian


All I can say is, all's fair in love and war!
Obviously.

I wont drag it out right now but I read war
is often used as an economic stimulator.
Who's economy is stimulated is what I want to know!

Nah....could never happen I'm sure anyway.

Originally posted by TheWalkingFox


Obama's TWO has, so far, not destroyed any countries, produced any Homeless, killed any people, American or otherwise, disabled any other people - American or otherwise again - and has had at worst a neutral impact om American prestige and security, and has at best improved both. Also it's six trillion less than what Bush spent on all that crap.
HISSSSSSSS!

I don't know about that. Last I checked, Obama has not withdrawn US forces from Iraq or Afghanistan and not only is he actively contemplating an escalation in the latter, but we've had a few record months for US casualties in that country this year. Plus, one of his first acts as president was to launch missile strikes against targets in Pakistan. He's also approved $1 trillion in additional yearly spending, with an accompanying $1.4 trillion deficit, with no end in sight.

Granted, Obama has a ways to go before he matches Bush's track record on the war, but lets see where we are in 3-7 years.


[edit on 6-11-2009 by vor78]

There is absolutely no way to accurately determine the cost of War.

-You can't put a value on a human life. Because the value of consciousness can't be determined.

Some might say that a human life is only worth the value of the salts, liquid, proteins and calcium contained within the human body, some would calculate how much money a person would make in their lifetime at their current job, and that would be the value of a human life.

I doubt that the mother, sister, wife of the dead would agree.

930 billion and the backers of the guys that started it have the nerve now to say we can't afford to get people health care. Billions just disappeared in Iraq and nobody even asked what happened to it. It's totally unbelievable. Instead of focusing on what the hell is going on we are worried that a schoolchild is singing a song about the President.