Total cost of Iraq war: 2.6 trillion !!!

As May approached 2003 and the invasion of the sovereign nation of Iraq by the "coalition of the willing" came closer, I sensed this war was going to be a disaster political-wise, but never had most of us expected that it would have such devastating effects economical-wise too. The cheap Iraqi oil promised to us by the neocons, which would rejuvenate America's crippling economy is still nowhere to be found, instead body-bags, more terrorist attacks, sky rocketing oil prices, an even more stagnating economy and astronomical deficits have become America's "loot."

According to a January 10 Reuters article Nobel Prize-winning economist J.E. Stiglitz and Harvard lecturer Linda Bilmes have come to the chilling conclusion that the total cost of the Iraq war will be approximately 2.6 trillion dollars. Let this sink in for a while, that's TWO THOUSAND AND SIX HUNDRED BILLION dollars.

The basis for this rather conservative estimate is that the situation does not escalate into a large scale conflict and America is able to withdraw its troops within 4 years from now. Of course the chances of escalation are not exactly slim, which could further increase the estimate. Many military analysts and Middle East experts have already stated that at the very best, massive American presence in Iraq should be necessary for the next 6-8 years, which makes this already astronomical estimate a very conservative one, since the real cost will probably turn out to be much higher.

Is this truly worth it? What is America fighting for? In his chilling book, "Fighting The Terror Masters" ex Pentagon official and White House Guru Michael Ledeen who like so many prominent neocons has strong ties to the Likud party in Israel, rejects "stability" as an unworthy cause and states:"Creative destruction is our middle name." A question that pops into my mind and every other conservative is: since when has stability been an unworthy American mission and did "creative destruction" become America's slogan?


This huge waste of money comes at a time when:

1.Tens of millions of honest hard working, tax paying Americans simply cannot afford a health insurance for themselves and their loved ones.
2.Our streets are flooded with homeless, some of them veterans.
3.Millions in Americans depend on charity just to eat.
4.Many young bright American youths simply cannot afford higher education and therefore settle for something less, a boomerang effect which will will come back and haunt the US in the years to come since the quality of the labor force will decrease, further crippling an already stagnating economy.
5.Energy prices and high taxes are destroying many American businesses.Energy prices which have only gone up since the invasion of Iraq.

In these troublesome times, neocons in America's government (people like Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, Elliot Abrams, William Kristol, Richard Perle) decided that this would be the right time to waste 2.6 trillion? And the world still has a war with Iran to look forward to, since Israel has already stated that it simply cannot feel safe with a nuclear Iran in the neighborhood, considering the neocons are in power and considering the neocon-Israel link, it's only a matter of time until these people steer America towards a (final?) disaster.


Source


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Yes, United States Presidents are usually rich idiots, what else is knew?

Not all of them, this one is way more stupid than all the previous ones combined. BTW, I'd like to point out that I pesonally do not believe that Bush is the one calling the shots, it's the Vice Pesident and the neocons in the background who take the decissions, Bush is basically just a talking head (with a three thousand dollar suit).

Pure speculation. And highly biased speculation if I might add.

Part of the cost that went into that 2trillion figure is long term. For instance the healthcare that will be required to care for approx 20,000 wounded soldiers for the rest of their lives.

Dead is cheap.... just stick'em in the ground with shiny bits of metal. Caring for the maimed and broken live ones cost a bit more.

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"When I'm in command, every mission is a suicide mission!" -Capt. Zapp Branigan
The United Church of the Latter Day Tangential Tarts

Bush is the one with the actual power.

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My Political Blog (Most recent update Oct 3rd) - Which Flame Warrior are you?

That's a scarry proposition indead...the idiot can't even ride a bicycle without wearing a freaking steel cage on his head. To think that someone who rides up to the white house in a short yellow bus is in power???!!! No, I don't think even the current administration is that stupid.

let's see:

one is this 1
ten is this 10
hundred is this 100
thousand is this 1000
ten thousand is this 10,000
hundred thousand is this 100,000
million is this 1,000,000
ten million is this 10,000,000
hundred million is this 100,000,000
billion is this 1,000,000,000

trillion?????????!!!!

2,600,000,000,000$

W0W!!!!!! holy ****

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To be free people,in our own land,the land of Zion and Jeruaslem

don't blame me for this amount of money,im not even sure this war was necessery......

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To be free people,in our own land,the land of Zion and Jeruaslem

Don't worry any amount of money to appease the jews is Kosher. . .in fact get ready to pay for the invasion of Iran. . . and we may need to attack Pakistan since the Pakistanis appear to be upset with our botched missle attack. . .

They Dare to Speak Out: People and Institutions Confront Israel's Lobby (Paperback)
by Paul Findley

The Washington Post "Straightforward and valid."

Book Description
Exposes the degree to which pro-Israeli groups are able to supress free debate, compromise national secrets, and shape American foreign policy. Findley focuses on individuals who have stood up to the pro-Israeli forces and brings out their statements and observations on the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy toward Israel.

# Publisher: Lawrence Hill Books; 2nd Revise edition (August 1, 1989)
# Language: English
# ISBN: 1556520735

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