Strange as it may seem, it is in the Bush administrations interest to keep the nation focused on US casualties that remain small compared to other US wars. The war that the Pentagon's yapping wolf Neocon ideologues thought would be a cakewalk is on course to status as a major American war by other measures.
The $105 billion budget request for 2005, and the expected costs of 2 additional years will raise the cost of Bush’s war to $465 billion, or third place in direct costs among principle US conflicts slightly behind the cost of the war in Vietnam, though well behind World War II.
It was announced this week that 120,000 troops will be maintained in Iraq for 2 years, that will make the nation’s first pre-emptive war at least its 4th longest. Longer than WWII and longer than the Korean War.
Comparisons of Iraq War to Ten other American Wars
Duration of US involvement in months
1.Vietnam ..................90
2.Revolution................80
3.Civil War.................48
<<<Iraq War 2 years hence...46>>>
4.World War II..............44
5.Korean War................37
6.War of 1812...............30
Currently Iraq War..........22
7.Mexican-American..........20
8.World War I...............19
9.Spanish-American..........4
10.Gulf War.................1
Direct Financial Costs (Billions)
1. World War II............3,025
2.Vietnam..................500
...Iraq War 2 years hence 465
3. Korean..................382
4. World WarI..............283
....Current Iraq War......161
5. Civil War ..............63
6. Gulf War................8 (88 before international reimbursement)
7. Spanish-American........8
8. Revolutionary...........2
9. Mexican-American........1
10. War of 1812............1
American Combat Deaths
1. World War II ..........292,131
2. Civil War (Combined)...184,594
3. World War I ............53,513
4. Vietnam.................47,369
5. Korean..................33,651
6. Revolutionary War........4,435
7. War of 1812..............2,260
8. Mexican-American.........1,733
....Iraq War................1,082
9. Spanish-American...........385
10. Gulf War..................148
Sources:
Duration of wars:
www.rationalrevolution.net/articles/casualties_of_war.html
US population:
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001519.htmlCasualties:
www.antiwar.com/casualties/
www.cwc.lsu.edu/cwc/other/stats/warcost.html