Cost of US wars since 9/11? At least $3.7 trillion, study finds

Reuters via MSNBC ^ | 06/29/2011

[DoughtyOne]

I just posted a report stating our costs for the ‘War on Terror’ for the last decade has been roughly $1.45 trillion. You can see my notes in one to a few posts above this one, depending on the speed of new replies. That’s quite a bit of money. Broken down to $145 billion per year, it’s nowhere near the amount it seems to be.

That $145 billion is a significant number. It isn’t the cause of any of the things you mentioned. It isn’t ruining our nation by any stretch of the imagination.

Mismanagement of other enterprises related to our government is the source of our problems. We need to keep focus on that.

What did we gain for it? There is a peaceful government in Iraq. That government is not threatening Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the Kurd in the north, or others in the South. It is not intent on seeing Israel destroyed like Hussein was. They are not paying $25k to the families of suicide bombers in Israel. They are not threatening the United States and Europe every other week. The Iraqi people are free form bondage under Hussein and his two sons. Iraq can defend itself. That could easily keep Iran from being as bold in the region.

We have a Middle-Eastern presence that may keep Syria in check. Al Qaeda and the Taliban have been hampered in their operations. I’ve seen some interviews in recent months by military officers who know what they’re talking about, and it was their opinion that the Taliban in Afghanistan have had their networks severely disrupted.

We have recently liquidated Osama Bin Laden and a number of other high-level terrorist operatives.

We haven’t had any further attacks on the United States or it’s assets overseas.

I think we gained a lot for it.

[Buckeye McFrog]

Brown University just enabling their liberal friends to rerun the Bob Casey for Senate Campaign next year (all that money that should be going to your Social Security, Medicare and college tuition is getting spent in Iraq and Afghanistan!)

[McGruff]

Well we have been pretty safe since 9/11 and Obama has probably spent as much on failed stimulus packages and bailouts during his 3 short years. Dude, Where's my Hopey Changey Thingy?

[dead]

An analysis of wartime military spending by the head of an Ivy League anthropology department and a poli-sci professor.

It makes perfect sense to me, but I go to the dry cleaners to purchase ski lessons.

[DoughtyOne]

I would take this to mean that these funds are over and above our normal military funding. It looks to me that these are the funds directed toward the war effort.

Please explain why you don’t believe that to be true.

Total War Funding by Operation

Assuming an annual level of the current Continuing Resolution (H.J.Res. 44/P.L. 112-4) and
based on DOD, State Department/USAID, and Department of Veterans Administration budget
submissions, the cumulative total appropriated from the 9/11 for those war operations, diplomatic
operations, and medical care for Iraq and Afghan war veterans is $1.283 trillion including:

• $806 billion for Iraq;
• $444 billion for Afghanistan;
• $29 billion for enhanced security; and
• $6 billion unallocated (see Table 1).

1 Of this total, 63% is for Iraq, 35% for Afghanistan, 2% for enhanced security and 1/2% is
unallocated. Almost all of the funding for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) is for Afghanistan.
This total includes funding provided in all appropriations act including the FY2010 Supplemental
(H.R. 4899/P.L. 111-212) enacted July 29, 2010, and the 6th Continuing Resolution for FY2011

1 These totals cover funding provided for DOD, State/USAID and VA Medical through FY2011, assuming the current
CR would continue throughout the year.

[DoughtyOne]

Five’ll get you ten they took their peace emblems off just prior to this shot.

Take a look at those two. If I saw them on the street, I would have a very high level of suspicion they were classic Leftists.

It’s oozing out of them...

[dead]

The head of the anthropology department looks exactly like The Rock in a Kenny G wig.

[dead]

Yes, they are right out of leftist agitator professor central casting.

[VeniVidiVici]

I keep looking for constitutional mandates that require certain things and I just can’t find them.

Oh wait! Defense!! There’s something!

[Domalais]

I would take this to mean that these funds are over and above our normal military funding. It looks to me that these are the funds directed toward the war effort.

These funds are toward the war. They are not the only funds toward the war.

What the report you linked is talking about is the area in red below. Off-budget money. As you can see, the size of the military budget has nearly doubled not including the $1.2 trillion in 'overseas contingency' spending. So, if the cost of the war on terror is just the $1.2 trillion shown in red, what non-war expense justifies the $250 billion per year in on-budget DOD spending shown in blue? Using 2000 as a baseline, the DOD alone has spent $2.6 trillion in additional funds since 2001. And you can see at the bottom that VA is specifically excluded.

In addition to the above and the report that you linked, the numbers do not include: CIA, NSA, Homeland Security, etc. expenditures related to the war on terror. Good luck getting any numbers on how much those type of agencies are spending.

[1035rep]

“An analysis of wartime military spending by the head of an Ivy League anthropology department and a poli-sci professor.”

Oh geez.

[Domalais]

The last time I checked, the constitution provides for national defense, not international defense, global defense, NATO defense, UN defense, Iraqi defense, or hockey defense. Has it been amended?

[VeniVidiVici]

The last time I checked, the constitution provides for national defense, not international defense, global defense, NATO defense, UN defense, Iraqi defense, or hockey defense. Has it been amended?

LOL! So in the age of nukes, nutty mullahs and global terrorism, we're supposed to believe the the Founding Fathers truly only wanted to defend a Fortress America. Well, except for that nasty little problem near Tripoli. But I'm sure that was simply an aberration.

[Domalais]

Which of the threats you listed applied to Iraq?

[elpadre]

I submit it was worth every penny as long as the battlefields selected were over there and not in our backyards.

[Domalais]

Well, except for that nasty little problem near Tripoli. But I'm sure that was simply an aberration.

I shouldn't have let this pass. Tripoli, and the other Barbary states, directly attacked American vessels, captured Americans, and kept them as slaves. They demanded (and were paid) enormous sums as tribute for the return of the sailors and to prevent further attacks. These attacks were directly endorsed and supported by each state's government. In 1795, 1/6th of the entire federal budget was paid in tribute and ransom to the Muslim states.

Comparing Tripoli to Iraq or even Afghanistan is laughable at best.

[VeniVidiVici]

Comparing Tripoli to Iraq or even Afghanistan is laughable at best.

You're right. I'm laughing while you twist.

[dragnet2]

We go into Iraq and within a few years, thousands dead, tens of hundreds of billions in tax dollars later, our economy is circling the drain, millions out of jobs, borders an international embarrassment, and national security disaster, the dollar worthless, and gas has freaking doubled..

WTF did we win?

Al Qaeda and the Taliban have been hampered in their operations.

You realize these are nothing more than fanatical religious gangs, not standing armies, with big military assets.

We have recently liquidated Osama Bin Laden and a number of other high-level terrorist operatives.

That should only cost a few million if that.

We haven’t had any further attacks on the United States or it’s assets overseas.

After we invited them into our country, trained them how to fly with our *own* planes...How embarrassing is that?

Again, after thousands dead, trillions in tax dollars, our country now on the brink of total bankruptcy and economy disaster, what the hell did we win?

[Domalais]

No rebuttal to either one of my arguments, I see.

[VeniVidiVici]

No rebuttal to either one of my arguments, I see.

No need too. You're doing a splendid job for my side.