Report: Tab for 'War on terrorism' tops $1 trillion
Boxes&Books
USA Posts: 2,672
Washington (CNN) -- The United States has spent more than $1 trillion on wars since the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, a recently released Congressional report says.
Adjusting for inflation, the outlays for conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere around the world make the "war on terrorism" second only to World War II.
The report "Cost of Major U.S. Wars" by the Congressional Research Service attempts to compare war costs over a more than 230-year period -- from the American Revolution to the current day -- noting the difficulties associated with such a task.
Since the the 9/11 terror attacks, the United States has spent an estimated $1.15 trillion. World War II cost $4.1 trillion when converted to current dollars, although the tab in the 1940s was $296 billion.
World War II consumed a massive 36 percent of America's gross domestic product -- a broad measurement of the country's economic output. The post-9/11 cost of the conflicts is about 1 percent of GDP.
Comparisons of costs of wars over a 230-year period, however, are inherently problematic, the report says.
"One problem is how to separate costs of military operations from costs of forces in peacetime. In recent years, the DOD (Department of Defense) has tried to identify the additional 'incremental' expenses of engaging in military operations, over and above the costs of maintaining standing military forces."
"Figures are problematic, as well, because of difficulties in comparing prices from one vastly different era to another," according to the report. "Perhaps a more significant problem is that wars appear more expensive over time as the sophistication and cost of technology advances, both for military and for civilian activities."
The costs associated with the "war on terrorism" could still go much higher.
A Congressional Budget Office estimate from 2007 said the cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq could total $2.4 trillion by 2017, more than double the current amount.
Adjusting for inflation, the outlays for conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere around the world make the "war on terrorism" second only to World War II.
The report "Cost of Major U.S. Wars" by the Congressional Research Service attempts to compare war costs over a more than 230-year period -- from the American Revolution to the current day -- noting the difficulties associated with such a task.
Since the the 9/11 terror attacks, the United States has spent an estimated $1.15 trillion. World War II cost $4.1 trillion when converted to current dollars, although the tab in the 1940s was $296 billion.
World War II consumed a massive 36 percent of America's gross domestic product -- a broad measurement of the country's economic output. The post-9/11 cost of the conflicts is about 1 percent of GDP.
Comparisons of costs of wars over a 230-year period, however, are inherently problematic, the report says.
"One problem is how to separate costs of military operations from costs of forces in peacetime. In recent years, the DOD (Department of Defense) has tried to identify the additional 'incremental' expenses of engaging in military operations, over and above the costs of maintaining standing military forces."
"Figures are problematic, as well, because of difficulties in comparing prices from one vastly different era to another," according to the report. "Perhaps a more significant problem is that wars appear more expensive over time as the sophistication and cost of technology advances, both for military and for civilian activities."
The costs associated with the "war on terrorism" could still go much higher.
A Congressional Budget Office estimate from 2007 said the cost of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq could total $2.4 trillion by 2017, more than double the current amount.
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
-
the best way to win a war on terror is to stop participating in it.0
-
^^^^^^Commy wrote:the best way to win a war on terror is to stop participating in it.
this
you know the UN Security Council explicitly sanctioned against any attack on Iraq in an extension of the “war on terror”, and of course this was ignored because we know best right? in hindsight, is there anyone that honestly believes that this “war on terror” has brought the US government the security it desired?0 -
Revenge sure is costly...CONservative governMENt
Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. - Louis Brandeis0 -
yes it is...where are the conservatives complaining about the cost of this crappy useless "war on turr"???FiveB247x wrote:Revenge sure is costly...
it is easy to fund other things, yet we have pissed away a trillion dollars in to the litterboxes known as iraq and afghanistan...and for what??? a trillion...gone...not coming back...$700 billion for the pentagon this year...why??
now we can't fund things like unemployment or social security because we have fought 2 wars and not achieved our objectives...how stupid we look as americans.."You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."0 -
gimmesometruth27 wrote:
yes it is...where are the conservatives complaining about the cost of this crappy useless "war on turr"???FiveB247x wrote:Revenge sure is costly...
Some have been all along, others are beginning to see the light:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kS1jUei7 ... r_embedded0 -
Commy wrote:the best way to win a war on terror is to stop participating in it.
This is probably the best 1 liner I've seen in a while here.
I'm sure we don't agree 100% on this issue, but I gotta give you props as it's thought provoking.hippiemom = goodness0 -
spending this much is awful. I cannot believe the waste. I will never understand why we still have troops in harms way for this mythical ideal of a war on terror.that’s right! Can’t we all just get together and focus on our real enemies: monogamous gays and stem cells… - Ned Flanders
It is terrifying when you are too stupid to know who is dumb
- Joe Rogan0 -
gimmesometruth27 wrote:
yes it is...where are the conservatives complaining about the cost of this crappy useless "war on turr"???FiveB247x wrote:Revenge sure is costly...
it is easy to fund other things, yet we have pissed away a trillion dollars in to the litterboxes known as iraq and afghanistan...and for what??? a trillion...gone...not coming back...$700 billion for the pentagon this year...why??
now we can't fund things like unemployment or social security because we have fought 2 wars and not achieved our objectives...how stupid we look as americans..
Remember when Obama promised us he'd end this war when he was elected?
Spare me the "bash-the-conservatives" crap.Bristow, VA (5/13/10)0 -
spare me the conservative had nothing ot do with it crap....Electric_Delta wrote:gimmesometruth27 wrote:
yes it is...where are the conservatives complaining about the cost of this crappy useless "war on turr"???FiveB247x wrote:Revenge sure is costly...
it is easy to fund other things, yet we have pissed away a trillion dollars in to the litterboxes known as iraq and afghanistan...and for what??? a trillion...gone...not coming back...$700 billion for the pentagon this year...why??
now we can't fund things like unemployment or social security because we have fought 2 wars and not achieved our objectives...how stupid we look as americans..
Remember when Obama promised us he'd end this war when he was elected?
Spare me the "bash-the-conservatives" crap.
imagine how the right wing of the media would crucify obama for "cutting and running" in iraq and afghanistan. do you really think beck, hannity, o'reilly, et al, all chicken hawks who never served, would be supportive of this? any true conservative would put their money where their mouth is and defund the wars. but that will never happen because the defense lobby is so far up their butts. so yes, the conservatives in congress are just as responsible for perpetuating the wars, it can even be argued that they are more responsible than obama because they keep voting to fund the wars..."You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."0 -
gimmesometruth27 wrote:
yes it is...where are the conservatives complaining about the cost of this crappy useless "war on turr"???FiveB247x wrote:Revenge sure is costly...
it is easy to fund other things, yet we have pissed away a trillion dollars in to the litterboxes known as iraq and afghanistan...and for what??? a trillion...gone...not coming back...$700 billion for the pentagon this year...why??
now we can't fund things like unemployment or social security because we have fought 2 wars and not achieved our objectives...how stupid we look as americans..
Gimmesometruth27,
correct me if I'm wrong or help me out a little.... I heard somewhere, a while back, that Iraq has about 90 million in our banks, collecting interest, and we're forking out 10 billion in Iraq every month.... What's the deal? They are collecting interest off of us, we are spending every penny on Iraq, and we can't even give an American 350 for food. Damn capitalism can be a Bi@!! sometimes.... I guess the average American can now rest at night knowing that the terrorist have been destroyed. Now they just need to worry about the "illegal aliens"
Will you please correct me....
thank you,0 -
i am not privy to those figures, but i do remember hearing something along those lines so i can't really answer with any certainty. if that is true we are getting it from both sides...they are making interest off of us while we go further into debt delivering them democracy... it just does not make sense to me. i am sure you can google it and get the actual numbers. i am more outraged by the $700 billion pentagon budget and the $3-5 billion a year to israel. they can end these wars if they wanted to by stopping the funding, but then the military industrial complex would be angered because to them, no war = no revenue= no profit....tonifig8 wrote:gimmesometruth27 wrote:
yes it is...where are the conservatives complaining about the cost of this crappy useless "war on turr"???FiveB247x wrote:Revenge sure is costly...
it is easy to fund other things, yet we have pissed away a trillion dollars in to the litterboxes known as iraq and afghanistan...and for what??? a trillion...gone...not coming back...$700 billion for the pentagon this year...why??
now we can't fund things like unemployment or social security because we have fought 2 wars and not achieved our objectives...how stupid we look as americans..
Gimmesometruth27,
correct me if I'm wrong or help me out a little.... I heard somewhere, a while back, that Iraq has about 90 million in our banks, collecting interest, and we're forking out 10 billion in Iraq every month.... What's the deal? They are collecting interest off of us, we are spending every penny on Iraq, and we can't even give an American 350 for food. Damn capitalism can be a Bi@!! sometimes.... I guess the average American can now rest at night knowing that the terrorist have been destroyed. Now they just need to worry about the "illegal aliens"
Will you please correct me....
thank you,"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."0 -
unsung I stopped by on March 7 2024. First time in many years, had to update payment info. Hope all is well. Politicians suck. Bye. Posts: 9,487It's just money, they can print more. It hasn't stopped them yet.0 -
OR they can do the sensible thing and simply stop funding the war and occupation/colonization/americanization...unsung wrote:It's just money, they can print more. It hasn't stopped them yet.
that will never happen though...too much money at stake for too many powerful people...keep the war going and watch the money roll right in....."You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."0 -
unsung I stopped by on March 7 2024. First time in many years, had to update payment info. Hope all is well. Politicians suck. Bye. Posts: 9,487Do you think the Obama supporters have figured out that he is a third term George W Bush yet? Sure there are some changes but the major issues are all still the same. Spend spend spend. Waste waste waste.
It seriously makes me fucking sick.0 -
I think that's a bit of a stretch to say the least. I'm no Obama supporter by any means, but I'd hardly call it the same in any manner. Yes the pendulum swang in the other direction and different problems were dealt with, but Bush brought us into 2 wars and debt, Obama has changed direction on focus of one of them and also had to deal with the economy which was something he walked into.. not created. You can't say that about Bush.
Regardless of any of this, the lesson people should take away is not that the other party is no better, but simply both of these parties are not viable options to fix the problems we have in society or address worldly issues. But instead, people continue to look for blood from a stone and wonder why the same results persist.unsung wrote:Do you think the Obama supporters have figured out that he is a third term George W Bush yet? Sure there are some changes but the major issues are all still the same. Spend spend spend. Waste waste waste.
It seriously makes me fucking sick.CONservative governMENt
Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. - Louis Brandeis0 -
unsung I stopped by on March 7 2024. First time in many years, had to update payment info. Hope all is well. Politicians suck. Bye. Posts: 9,487One of his campaign promises was to end the war in Iraq, he has not. Even I as a non-supporter looked forward to that promise being fulfilled. I think he is no different than any other politician, there is no CHANGE, and the only HOPE is that he not win re-election. Maybe someone will get in that will end the war.
No, he didn't create them, however he has continued Iraq and escalated Afghanistan so they are now his wars. They claim this new financial overhaul package signed into law will never allow another recession to happen, yet we are still in one. How about fix this one? People are losing jobs at the highest rate since the Depression, house prices are still falling, we don't manufacture hardly anything anymore, and people are holding and using credit to their max. It is a recipe for something much worse than we have seen.
I'm not usually in the sky is falling crowd but I've been saving certain items just in case lately. It is wise to be prepared.0 -
The Dems have been saying they would end the war in Iraq and bring people home since GW Bush's 2nd term..and they still haven't. Albeit a wonderful and hopeful idea of "change", the practical reality is our government and politicians are out for themselves and things like elections, votes and campaigns are mere illusions to let the citizens feel like they have choice and influence when we have none. And the simple fact that people keep going back to the same options no matter which of the major two parties just shows you how out of touch they are. Just like an abused spouse, "this time it'll be different", which is exactly how you ended your post. There's no savior on the way folks... government and politicians are merely a reflection of our society... of all of us as a whole.. self-interested, uncaring and out for their own. The sky isn't falling, we've just lowered the ceiling.unsung wrote:One of his campaign promises was to end the war in Iraq, he has not. Even I as a non-supporter looked forward to that promise being fulfilled. I think he is no different than any other politician, there is no CHANGE, and the only HOPE is that he not win re-election. Maybe someone will get in that will end the war.
No, he didn't create them, however he has continued Iraq and escalated Afghanistan so they are now his wars. They claim this new financial overhaul package signed into law will never allow another recession to happen, yet we are still in one. How about fix this one? People are losing jobs at the highest rate since the Depression, house prices are still falling, we don't manufacture hardly anything anymore, and people are holding and using credit to their max. It is a recipe for something much worse than we have seen.
I'm not usually in the sky is falling crowd but I've been saving certain items just in case lately. It is wise to be prepared.CONservative governMENt
Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. - Louis Brandeis0 -
"FiveB247x wrote:
There's no savior on the way folks... government and politicians are merely a reflection of our society... of all of us as a whole.. self-interested, uncaring and out for their own. The sky isn't falling, we've just lowered the ceiling.
might be one of the best things I have read on here in a while.
also, where does your name come fromthat’s right! Can’t we all just get together and focus on our real enemies: monogamous gays and stem cells… - Ned Flanders
It is terrifying when you are too stupid to know who is dumb
- Joe Rogan0 -
Thanks mike - my name is a seinfeld reference no one knows..lol... i love kramer.. he lives in apartment 5B... so it's 5B 24/7
CONservative governMENt
Our government is the potent, the omnipresent teacher. For good or for ill, it teaches the whole people by its example. Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a law-breaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy. - Louis Brandeis0
Categories
- All Categories
- 148.8K Pearl Jam's Music and Activism
- 110K The Porch
- 274 Vitalogy
- 35K Given To Fly (live)
- 3.5K Words and Music...Communication
- 39.1K Flea Market
- 39.1K Lost Dogs
- 58.7K Not Pearl Jam's Music
- 10.6K Musicians and Gearheads
- 29.1K Other Music
- 17.8K Poetry, Prose, Music & Art
- 1.1K The Art Wall
- 56.8K Non-Pearl Jam Discussion
- 22.2K A Moving Train
- 31.7K All Encompassing Trip
- 2.9K Technical Stuff and Help