CSM: More costly than 'the war to end all wars'

[unhappycamper]

More costly than 'the war to end all wars'
By David R. Francis
from the August 29, 2005 edition

Despite the relatively small number of American armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan (140,000), the war effort is rapidly shaping up to be the third-most expensive war in United States history.

This conflict has already cost each American at least $850 in military and reconstruction costs since October 2001.

If the war lasts another five years, it will cost nearly $1.4 trillion, calculates Linda Bilmes, who teaches budgeting at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. That's nearly $4,745 per capita. Her estimate is thorough. She includes not only the military cost but also such things as veterans' benefits and additional interest on the federal debt.

But even in stripped-down terms, looking only at military costs and using current dollars, the war's cost for the US already exceeds that of World War I.

MORE
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0829/p15s01-cogn.html

[rodeodance]

1. and no money in the piggy bank for kartrina relief.!!!

[enough]

2. Or schools, healthcare................

[indepat]

3. Such a small price to pay to keep us safe: fighting terra over there so

we don't have to fight it over here.