Endless Wars Have Cost Americans $1.6 Trillion, Report Finds

[newthinking]

[Font size=3]Endless Wars Have Cost Americans $1.6 Trillion, Report Finds

Post-9/11 military operations are second only to World War II in terms of financial cost—and 'the costs go on.'
by[/font][font size=2]
Deirdre Fulton, staff writer

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/12/23/endless-wars-have-cost-americans-16-trillion-report-finds


[font size=1]The Human Cost of War Exhibition at a downtown mall in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo: Bob Mical/flickr/cc)[/font]

The United States has spent $1.6 trillion on post-9/11 military operations, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, weapons procurement and maintenance, and base support, according to a report (pdf) issued earlier this month by the Congressional Research Service (CRS).

As some analysts point out, that's more money than the U.S. spent on the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War of 1990-1991 all rolled into one.

According to International Business Times, "the $1.6 trillion estimate, which comes to $14 million per hour since 9/11...is up roughly half a trillion dollars from its 2010 estimate, which found that the post-9/11 military operations are second only to World War II in terms of financial cost."

Of the $1.6 trillion total, CRS specialist Amy Belasco estimates that the funding breaks down as such:

$686 billion (43%) for Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan);
$815 billion (51%) for Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (Iraq);
$27 billion (2%) for Operation Noble Eagle (providing enhanced security at military bases and military operations related to homeland security);
$81 billion (5%) for war-designated funding not considered directly related to the Afghanistan or Iraq wars.

Continued: http://www.commondreams.org/news/2014/12/23/endless-wars-have-cost-americans-16-trillion-report-finds

[on point]

1. Plus a trillion to care for vets, plus a trillion to re-equip military for used equip. Thanks Bush!

Total, more than 3 trillion dollars, plus trillions due to economic mis-management and give always to his bankster cronies and it is possible to see he is responsible for most of current USA debt.

[Enthusiast]

7. Now they want to cut the safety net to pay for it.

Well, allow me to correct that. They are cutting the safety net to pay for it. Food stamps and heat oil subsidies have already been cut as a direct result of Bush's faked up unnecessary wars of choice.

Remember, Afghanistan did not attack us on 911. Afghanistan's government was not harboring the 911 attackers. During the 911 attack you could hardly even describe what Afghanistan had as a government. Attacking Iraq was incredibly stupid. We might as well have attacked Mexico after 911.

[tularetom]

2. Your share of that is less than $400 per year

See, when you say it like that it doesn't sound so bad. You probably spend twice that much putting gasoline in your car.

Nothing to see here, just move along.

(Based on 14 years of war and a population of 300 million Americans)

[newthinking]

4. Close to $1000 per working person, or almost 2000 per household

If you include peripheral costs (like the post above)

[tularetom]

5. I should have included

the little doohickey.

[Ramses]

3. imagine if this moneywas spent on food and shelter

For food banks and shelters. Our priorities are messed up

[OnyxCollie]

6. "This nation can afford to spend what is needed..."

Quadrennial Defense Review Report
September 30, 2001

This Quadrennial Defense Review was the product of the senior civilian
and military leadership of the Department of Defense. It benefited from
extensive consultation with the President of the United States. It was truly
"top down" in that the decisions taken on strategy, forces, capabilities, and
risks resulted from months of deliberations and consultation among the
most senior Defense Department leadership. This report outlines the key
changes needed to preserve America's safety and security in the years
to come.

The Quadrennial Defense Review and the accompanying report were
largely completed before the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the
United States. In important ways, these attacks confirm the strategic
direction and planning principles that resulted from this review,
particularly its emphasis on homeland defense, on surprise, on preparing
for asymmetric threats, on the need to develop new concepts of
deterrence, on the need for a capabilities-based strategy, and on the need
to balance deliberately the different dimensions of risk. However, the
attack on the United States on September 11, 2001 will require us to move
forward more rapidly in these directions, even while we are engaged in
the war against terrorism.

Finally, the loss of life and damage to our economy from the attack of
September 11, 2001 should give us a new perspective on the question of
what this country can afford for its defense. It would be reckless to press
our luck with false economies or gamble with our children's future. This
nation can afford to spend what is needed to deter the adversaries of
tomorrow and to underpin our prosperity. Those costs do not begin to
compare with the cost in human lives and resources if we fail to do so.