Bush's wars to cost 1 trillion

Popeye

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Anybody care to tell me, how it's all worth it?
Iraq, Afghan War Cost: $1 Trillion
Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 By AP



(WASHINGTON) — The economic costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are estimated to total $1.6 trillion — roughly double the amount the White House has requested thus far, according to a new report by Congress' Joint Economic Committee.






The report, obtained by The Associated Press and scheduled to be released Tuesday, attempted to put a price tag on the two conflicts, including "hidden" costs such as interest payments on the money borrowed to pay for the wars, lost investment, the expense of long-term health care for injured veterans and the cost of oil market disruptions.

The $1.6 trillion figure, for the period from 2002 to 2008, translates into a cost of $20,900 for a family of four, the report said. The Bush administration has requested $804 billion for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined, the report stated.

For the Iraq war only, total economic costs were estimated at $1.3 trillion for the period from 2002 to 2008. That would cost a family of four $16,500, the report said.

Future economic costs would be even greater. The report estimated that both wars would cost $3.5 trillion between 2003 and 2017. Under that scenario, it would cost a family of four $46,400, the report said.

Oil prices have surged since the start of the war, from about $37 a barrel to well over $90 a barrel in recent weeks, the report said. "Consistent disruptions from the war have affected oil prices," although the Iraq war is not responsible for all of the increase in oil prices, the report said.

Still, the report estimated that high oil prices have hit U.S. consumers in the pocket, transferring "approximately $124 billion from U.S. oil consumers to foreign (oil) producers" from 2003 to 2008, the report said.

High oil prices can slow overall economic growth if that chills spending and investment by consumers and businesses. At the same time, high oil prices can spread inflation throughout the economy if companies decide to boost the prices of lots of other goods and services.

The report comes as the House prepares to vote this week on another effort by Democrats to set a deadline for withdrawing troops from Iraq as a condition for providing another $50 billion for the war.
http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1683293,00.html?xid=rss-topstories
 
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Anybody care to tell me, how it's all worth it?

070522bush.jpg


"Hell....it financed our new spread in Crawford!"
 
Anybody care to tell me, how it's all worth it?
I know what you mean. I remember Cheney or Rumsfeld suggesting that this could be done for well less than $100b and the Iraqi oil revenue would pay for reconstruction. That didnt work out.
I also remember former Alaska Gov. Jay Hammond who was pretty much the guy who set up our Permanent Fund with the oil revenue we have here, being used as a consultant before the war and his eventual natural death to set something similar up in Iraq. Lots of promises not kept.
I guess here is the question. Can we afford to lose this one?
I dont have a good answer to that question. At one point I was for immediate withdrawal and have been leaning against that lately. $1.6trillion is more money than is even fathomable by anyone. But hell for Bush and Congress, it isnt there money they are spending so what does it really matter.
 
Look at where the percentages go though.

How much are going into haliburton subcontractors, and private security firms that are given billions and billions of dollars each year as part of this war cost.

Must be nice to be hooked into that cash cow on the backs of the american taxpayers.
 
Yah, but the dollar is so worthless right now, that you have to wonder if this was the just the neo-cons idea all along. Make the dollar worth so little, that in the future, any one of us will be able to cover the entire cost of the warl by digging into our own wallets. "$30 trillion? Is that all you're worried about? Why didn't you say so? Who here can break a quadrillion?"
 
just for the sake of argument... (because I don't agree with much of Bush)...
there is an enemy of the US/West out there that has a specific 7 stage plan to take over our country.
911 was not the "big" attack. it was the awakening. then there is a regrouping period of 10 years with the plan of a dozen US cities hit all at once. so would you suggest we just sit back and wait for that? or spend some money to try to protect ourselves?
 
just for the sake of argument... (because I don't agree with much of Bush)...
there is an enemy of the US/West out there that has a specific 7 stage plan to take over our country.
911 was not the "big" attack. it was the awakening. then there is a regrouping period of 10 years with the plan of a dozen US cities hit all at once. so would you suggest we just sit back and wait for that? or spend some money to try to protect ourselves?

No, I would suggest that we all cower in fear, just like the fear mongers, on the right, want us to do. That way, anything can be justified, from torture, to giving up civil liberties, to preemptive strikes on sovereign nations, to running the national debt up to over 9 trillion.
 
No, I would suggest that we all cower in fear, just like the fear mongers, on the right, want us to do. That way, anything can be justified, from torture, to giving up civil liberties, to preemptive strikes on sovereign nations, to running the national debt up to over 9 trillion.

the fearmonger myth was started by Limbaugh or someone, right?
what are your qualifications in government and crisis management planning?
or are you just expressing your opinion?

there is a legitimate threat. and Americans shouldn't depend on the government for protection. but as the government they have a job to do.
 
I know what you mean. I remember Cheney or Rumsfeld suggesting that this could be done for well less than $100b and the Iraqi oil revenue would pay for reconstruction. That didnt work out.

NOTHING that Cheney predicted worked out. Let's look at exactly what this fool was predicting:

The Imperial Presidency

"Vice President Dick Cheney is trying to persuade Dick Armey, the Republican House majority leader, who was skeptical about a war on Iraq, in a private meeting in September 2002: 'We have great information. They’re going to welcome us. It’ll be like the American Army going through the streets of Paris. They’re sitting there ready to form a new government. The people will be so happy with their freedoms that we’ll probably back ourselves out of there within a month or two.'"

A month or two??? That assumption didn't work out too well, did it? Now the assumption is we need to stay there 30, 40 or 50 years...
 
the fearmonger myth was started by Limbaugh or someone, right?
what are your qualifications in government and crisis management planning?
or are you just expressing your opinion?

there is a legitimate threat. and Americans shouldn't depend on the government for protection. but as the government they have a job to do.

This big overblown "threat", that you subscribe to, who is it? Al Qaeda? Or the Bush catchphrases, Islamo-fascists? Remember Jihadists? Evil doers? Please define this big "threat."

Remember this so called "threat" killed 3000 people on 9/11, and some Americans still act like half the country was destroyed. Lets grow up.

Cower in fear, if you wish, but as Benjamin Franklin said, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
 
This big overblown "threat", that you subscribe to, who is it? Al Qaeda? Or the Bush catchphrases, Islamo-fascists? Remember Jihadists? Evil doers? Please define this big "threat."

Cower in fear, if you wish, but as Benjamin Franklin said, "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."

I'm not cowering in fear. but I am going to be informed about real threats out there and not run from it or name callers like you.
are you aware of the acts of terrorism post 911?
did I say "big threat" somewhere? I don't think so.
do you think the FBI and CIA just blow off the threats they recieve daily?
does anyone blow off threats? do people really think threats are no big deal?
if there are so many peaceful people then why are their daily threats?
 
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I'm not cowering in fear. but I am going to be informed about real threats out there and not run from it or name callers like you.
are you aware of the acts of terrorism post 911?
did I say "big threat" somewhere? I don't think so.
do you think the FBI and CIA just blow off the threats they recieve daily?
does anyone blow off threats? do people really think threats are no big deal?
if there are so many peaceful people then why are their daily threats?

"name callers like you"? What names are you referring to?

If you admit it is not a "big threat", then why defend exorbitant expenditures in it's pursuit?

If you admit it is not a "big threat", then why defend the loss of civil liberties and the use of torture in it's pursuit?
 
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