1 Trillion Reasons Not To Fight Pre-emptive Wars
By Justin Gardner | Related entries in Money, WarThat’s the latest estimate for the total cost of the Iraq war.
WASHINGTON — The war in Iraq could ultimately cost well over a trillion dollars — at least double what has already been spent — including the long-term costs of replacing damaged equipment, caring for wounded troops, and aiding the Iraqi government, according to a new government analysis.The United States has already allocated more than $500 billion on the day-to-day combat operations of what are now 190,000 troops and a variety of reconstruction efforts.
In a report to lawmakers yesterday, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that even under the rosiest scenario — an immediate and substantial reduction of troops — American taxpayers will feel the financial consequences of the war for at least a decade.
The calculations include the estimated cost to leave some US forces behind for at least several years to support the Iraqi government, but they also predict other long-term costs, such as extended medical care and disability compensation for wounded soldiers and survivor’s benefits for the families of the thousands of combat-zone fatalities.
Think of how many things we could have done. It boggles the mind.
So the question for all of you is…how does it not make economic sense to use tax dollars to provide services for our citizens , but it does make economic sense to use tax dollars going into a country to fight for their freedom?
Discuss.
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August 1st, 2007 at 11:04 am
Justin..your thoughts about the Sacto. attorney filing the electoral reform initiative is a bit tardy. Take a look at my site for most of this year on this subject. Hell, we are the pioneers…ciao, Bob
August 1st, 2007 at 11:04 am
It’s called compassionate conservatism. And it works just as well as if the government were spending a trillion dollars on its own citizens.
August 1st, 2007 at 12:01 pm
How much did the 9/11 attacks cost our economy? Think of what a pre-emtive war in Afghanistan would have saved us. Not to mention the cost in American lives.
If the war in Iraq prevents the rise of Salafist Islam in the 21st century by enabling peace-loving Muslims to use the power of their own government authority to persecute Islamic extremists rather than support them, and by shutting down clandestine WMD programs operated by terror-loving tyrants, then it will be well worth the investment.
Besides, of as a proportion of what this country earns, only the Spanish-American war was a less expensive war.
What a turnaround JG. You used to be rather hawkish on this subject a few years ago at a time where our enemies seemed a lot less dangerous. In reality, the ongoing violence in Iraq proves that trans-national Islamic terrorism is much more dangerous than anybody thought, which should have strengthened our resolve; however, it appears that the opposite is the case. The more dangerous the enemy, the more we back away.
August 1st, 2007 at 12:04 pm
Same question rephrased: What makes one boondoogle better than another boondoogle? Why spend a bunch of money f-ing things up in another country, when we can f-things up in our own country?
Well, in fact, no. Our key interest in a “free” Iraq (or anyother kind of not-free Iraq) is our ability to do business with them and minimize any direct threat to us. The difference is between a fish and a fishing pool.
I think it is a bit telling that your response to this huge price tag is not, “Oh my God we should not be spending that kind of money,” but rather, “Oh my God we should be spending that kind of money some other place domestically.” I am completely with you in terms of the price tag. However, don’t waste the money here either — just give the money back to its rightful owner, the tax payer.
August 1st, 2007 at 1:13 pm
A trillion here, a trillion there and pretty soon you’re talking about a lot money.
Anyway, Iraqi oil revenues are paying for all this, right? Right?
August 1st, 2007 at 2:33 pm
I completely agree, no doubt. But for the sake of this “sunk cost”, if we’re GOING to spend it, what’s the most effective way to spend it? I think it’s stateside, but hey, that’s just me…
August 1st, 2007 at 2:54 pm
The Clinton administration rested on its laurels, and didn’t take seriously enough the ill intentions of radical Islamist toward America. The dots should have been connected but weren’t. It’s classic bureaucratic bumbling at its best, but signs are missed and serious threats dismissed all the time. Sooner or later some things will come back to bite you in the ass.
Unlike Jimmy the Dhimmi, I don’t believe “preemptive” wars are our salvation. I believe America needs to ween itself off the oil tit of the Middle East and put its complete energy and attention toward green technology. After all, Bush, the president of our country is close with the very family that attacked us on 9/11, and indeed let the entire Osama family depart the U.S. unquestioned. That’s not a coincidence that this occurred either. And isn’t it funny, the man that masterminded the attacks of 9/11 still roams about the planet, plotting the next grand attack while Bush and his oil buddies are make record profits.
The rhetoric continues to spew from the presidents mouth about the dangers of extreme Islamists, yet he is doing everything possible to give their very cause impetus and credibility. Meanwhile…
Is this war really about the “Free-world” versus the “terrorists?” or is our president a terrorist in his own right? He’s terrorized hundreds of thousands of people, of which have absolutely nothing to do with terrorism.
Has anyone seen America since the attacks of 9/11? Remember, the America we used to know? The America that was a model of justice around the world. The America that was the champion of human rights. The America that opposed torture, not the one that practices it. The America that didn’t engage in preemptive warfare. The America that didn’t spy on its own citizens. The America that respected the Geneva Conventions. The America that respected its own Constitution. The America whose leaders didn’t pray on American fears.
It’s been a long time since 9/11 – has anyone seen that America?
August 2nd, 2007 at 8:35 am
Jeremy – Have you ever thought about making a documentary?
August 2nd, 2007 at 12:54 pm
DosPeros, No, I never have.