US costs of Iraq, Afghan wars top $900 bln -report

[cal04]

Source: Reuters

US military operations, including the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, have cost $904 billion since 2001 and could top $1.7 trillion by 2018, even with big cuts in overseas troop deployments.

A new study released by the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, or CSBA, said the Iraq conflict's $687 billion price tag alone now exceeds the cost of every past US war except for World War II, when expenditures are adjusted for inflation.

With another $184 billion in spending for Afghanistan included, the two conflicts surpass the cost of the Vietnam War by about 50 percent, the report said.

CSBA said US military operations have already reached $904 billion since 2001, including the two wars as well as stepped-up military security activities at home and the payout in war-related veterans' benefits. The estimate includes allocated spending into 2009.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N15508877.htm

[Mari333]

1. End the Empire= end the Bankruptcy

until then, this is the elephant in the living room that no one will talk about.

[SpiralHawk]

2. "So sorry, no money left over for you American workers. Smirk." - Republicon War Cronies

"We gave all your money to ourselves and our republicon Wall Street cronies. Smirk. So shut up, and sit down, you noisy peasants, you. Smirk."

- Republicon War Cronies

[EFerrari]

3. "If you think we're going to spend a billion dollars over there, my friend, you are mistaken."

-- Donald Rumsfeld

[davsand]

4. Can we get our money back on this deal?

I think we got screwed and I want a refund. $900 bln would go a LONG ways toward solving our domestic issues.

Can I see The Manager?




Laura

[MasonJar]

5. And how many sensible men were fired by Bush/Rummy for suggesting

$200 billion? And that sum might even equal the amount of the Bush bailout of the Pug deregulated banking disaster. Isn't it fun being a taxpayer when GOPers are in power?

[No Elephants]

6. Be sure that this figure is MUCH lower than the actual cost to American taxpayers of the war.