"It has been two decades since the decision was made to invade Iraq. Even with 4,489 killed in action, 32,223 wounded in action, and more than $2 trillion sunk into Iraq between 2003 and 2011, our country has seen no benefit."
$2 trillion is a tiny fraction of the cost of the wars in the Middle East since 9/11.
According to a 2021 report by the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs' Costs of War Project at Brown University, from 2001 through Fiscal Year 2022, the U.S. spent (including FY 2022 budget requests) a total of about $5.8 trillion in reaction to the 9/11 attacks, including the estimated direct and indirect costs of spending in post-9/11 war zones, homeland security counterterrorism costs, interest payments on war borrowing and costs for medical care and disability payments for veterans.
Future veterans costs are estimated to likely exceed $2.2 trillion in additional federal spending. All told, the Watson Institute estimates that the total budgetary costs and future obligations of the post-9/11 wars is about $8 trillion in current dollars.
These figures also do not include many of the incidental costs and non-financial consequences of over twenty years of war, such as the cost of death gratuities for the survivors of the 7,040 men and women in the U.S. military killed in these wars and compensation to the civilians injured and killed. Nor does it include U.S. spending for humanitarian assistance and economic development aid in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Biden Administration subsequently requested additional funds for FY 2022 which are not included in the 2021 estimate, nor does the estimate include funds expended or requested for FYs 2023, 2024 and 2025. It does not include spending by the dozens of U.S. allies, including Australia, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Germany and France. The estimate also does not include spending by state and local governments for counterterrorism or services for post-9/11 war veterans.
Eight Trillion Dollars!
And more! These figures and estimates do not include the additional costs to the United States (to us, the taxpayers) of supporting Israel since October 7, 2023. Nor, of course, do they include the costs of the war in Ukraine. Or billions of dollars of U.S. defense spending at home and around the rest of the world.
Very revealing and fascinating conversation, as well as the reference to Amanda’s book. The other day, the soft-spoken Matt Hoh put it this way, but now we know what “greases” the wheels: “ Israel is “us” over there; Israel is the West in the Middle East.” What a diabolical mess. Now we know why GWB, the oil man, was chosen to up the ante and invade Iraq.
Don't know if anyone has seen this - another documentary concerning Israel where the current finance minister states it is in public discourse that Israel will extend to Damascus. I've seen clips - he is clearly insane.
Wow that’s incredible! I find it very hard not to roll my eyes and spit out my coffee when leftie friends tell me America’s wars have all been about fighting for democracy. It’s always about resources, greed and power.
FreeFrench, that's actually quite amazing (at least to someone of my vintage)! For most of my life, the Right in the U.S. argued that America's wars were about fighting for democracy and the Left argued that they were about resources, greed, and power. When did that all change? It's almost like the earth's magnetic poles inverting. I'm getting too old to keep up with all of this stuff!
You're welcome - but thanks most of all to Mark for elucidating the big picture so eloquently. This is a post I am going to keep to hand - it's that valuable.
Also - the magnetic poles are flipping apparently..
My ME contacts are telling me the IDF is being crushed on the ground along the Israel-Lebanese border.
Also, those who (used to?) believe in such things as the Iron Dome are not sufficiently aware of the huge costs of missile defense and the difficulty in protecting against waves of missiles including decoys. It's a subset of the fine art of escalation management which the Russians have learned in Ukraine, which the North Koreans are implementing, and which Hezbollah practices spectacularly.
The consensus is growing that Israel's days are numbered. Even they are starting to believe it.
A lot of Middle East US policies seem to help Israel. Shah was putting out feelers to Iraq, and immediately gets deposed. Then a war between Iran and Iraq starts up. Who benefits? I thought it was like Cuba, US wishful thinking ended up with a disastrous leadership choice.
Lots of Israeli oil seems to be coming from Kurdistan thru Turkey to Israel.
And I would not be surprised if oil from Syria being smuggled thru Turkey ends up in Israel. For a while it was from Al Queda, then the U.S. / Kurds took over the major oil producing areas.
way way back before the 1st invasion of Iraq, Antipodes was a high school student sitting in our Geography class. Our teacher was insistent that the upcoming invasion was all about "our oil". Our being the USA.
Now this was in Australia, in a standard country town in a largely farming based economy.
And our Geography Teacher saw it, taught it and hoped we understood it.
Hell hath no furry like a Barry scorned. What? You mean He won’t get his third - oops! - fourth term in office? Castigating and scolding again - a winning strategy!
"It has been two decades since the decision was made to invade Iraq. Even with 4,489 killed in action, 32,223 wounded in action, and more than $2 trillion sunk into Iraq between 2003 and 2011, our country has seen no benefit."
$2 trillion is a tiny fraction of the cost of the wars in the Middle East since 9/11.
According to a 2021 report by the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs' Costs of War Project at Brown University, from 2001 through Fiscal Year 2022, the U.S. spent (including FY 2022 budget requests) a total of about $5.8 trillion in reaction to the 9/11 attacks, including the estimated direct and indirect costs of spending in post-9/11 war zones, homeland security counterterrorism costs, interest payments on war borrowing and costs for medical care and disability payments for veterans.
Future veterans costs are estimated to likely exceed $2.2 trillion in additional federal spending. All told, the Watson Institute estimates that the total budgetary costs and future obligations of the post-9/11 wars is about $8 trillion in current dollars.
These figures also do not include many of the incidental costs and non-financial consequences of over twenty years of war, such as the cost of death gratuities for the survivors of the 7,040 men and women in the U.S. military killed in these wars and compensation to the civilians injured and killed. Nor does it include U.S. spending for humanitarian assistance and economic development aid in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Biden Administration subsequently requested additional funds for FY 2022 which are not included in the 2021 estimate, nor does the estimate include funds expended or requested for FYs 2023, 2024 and 2025. It does not include spending by the dozens of U.S. allies, including Australia, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Germany and France. The estimate also does not include spending by state and local governments for counterterrorism or services for post-9/11 war veterans.
Eight Trillion Dollars!
And more! These figures and estimates do not include the additional costs to the United States (to us, the taxpayers) of supporting Israel since October 7, 2023. Nor, of course, do they include the costs of the war in Ukraine. Or billions of dollars of U.S. defense spending at home and around the rest of the world.
https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/figures/2021/BudgetaryCosts
Very revealing and fascinating conversation, as well as the reference to Amanda’s book. The other day, the soft-spoken Matt Hoh put it this way, but now we know what “greases” the wheels: “ Israel is “us” over there; Israel is the West in the Middle East.” What a diabolical mess. Now we know why GWB, the oil man, was chosen to up the ante and invade Iraq.
Gaza is the ultimate goal for Israel. They are going to keep the Lebanese sideshow going for as long as possible while they clear Gaza.
https://thecradle.co/articles-id/27227
Don't know if anyone has seen this - another documentary concerning Israel where the current finance minister states it is in public discourse that Israel will extend to Damascus. I've seen clips - he is clearly insane.
Wow that’s incredible! I find it very hard not to roll my eyes and spit out my coffee when leftie friends tell me America’s wars have all been about fighting for democracy. It’s always about resources, greed and power.
FreeFrench, that's actually quite amazing (at least to someone of my vintage)! For most of my life, the Right in the U.S. argued that America's wars were about fighting for democracy and the Left argued that they were about resources, greed, and power. When did that all change? It's almost like the earth's magnetic poles inverting. I'm getting too old to keep up with all of this stuff!
That’s such a great point! They did used to have opposite narratives!
Thank you (and Amanda R.) for all the dot connecting!
You're welcome - but thanks most of all to Mark for elucidating the big picture so eloquently. This is a post I am going to keep to hand - it's that valuable.
Also - the magnetic poles are flipping apparently..
Thank you for this fine reporting.
My ME contacts are telling me the IDF is being crushed on the ground along the Israel-Lebanese border.
Also, those who (used to?) believe in such things as the Iron Dome are not sufficiently aware of the huge costs of missile defense and the difficulty in protecting against waves of missiles including decoys. It's a subset of the fine art of escalation management which the Russians have learned in Ukraine, which the North Koreans are implementing, and which Hezbollah practices spectacularly.
The consensus is growing that Israel's days are numbered. Even they are starting to believe it.
Please also see this:
https://www.globalresearch.ca/world-war-iii-is-on-but-the-empire-has-already-lost-an-american-civil-war-looms-spiritual-transformation-is-the-only-way-to-prevent-extinction/5868285
A lot of Middle East US policies seem to help Israel. Shah was putting out feelers to Iraq, and immediately gets deposed. Then a war between Iran and Iraq starts up. Who benefits? I thought it was like Cuba, US wishful thinking ended up with a disastrous leadership choice.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/10/the_iranian_mullah_s_mysterious_longevity_may_reflect_secret_us_support.html
Lots of Israeli oil seems to be coming from Kurdistan thru Turkey to Israel.
And I would not be surprised if oil from Syria being smuggled thru Turkey ends up in Israel. For a while it was from Al Queda, then the U.S. / Kurds took over the major oil producing areas.
Article from 2015:
https://m.jpost.com/Business-and-Innovation/Israel-importing-77-percent-of-its-oil-from-Iraqi-Kurdistan-report-says-413056
Both probably enriching the Erdogen family.
Erdogan has been regularly renouncing Israel and has taken a number of actions against it:
https://www.juancole.com/2024/08/denounces-threatens-intervention.html
That aside the Turkish response to the oil transit issue is as follows:
https://www.intellinews.com/palestinians-face-deportation-from-turkey-for-erdogan-stop-feeding-oil-to-zionists-banner-344816/
Someone skeptical might say there is money involved for those in power.
Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi:
"We are fully prepared for a war situation and we are not afraid of war"
way way back before the 1st invasion of Iraq, Antipodes was a high school student sitting in our Geography class. Our teacher was insistent that the upcoming invasion was all about "our oil". Our being the USA.
Now this was in Australia, in a standard country town in a largely farming based economy.
And our Geography Teacher saw it, taught it and hoped we understood it.
Good teacher Antipodes had....a rare thing.
The truth will out - it’s never about ‘our soil’, but rather ‘our oil’.
Similarly, ‘Our democracy’ is the verbiage of a villain.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/you-know-its-bad-kamala-when
They're bringing in Clinton and Barry. Sounds like they know it's critical.
Hell hath no furry like a Barry scorned. What? You mean He won’t get his third - oops! - fourth term in office? Castigating and scolding again - a winning strategy!
"The military is investigating why no sirens were activated and why no interception occurred."
Need better AD? Started something that can't be easily controlled?
THAAD deployed…. THUD! destroyed?