Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


0

Dems: Hidden Costs Double Price of War

$1.5T price tag on Iraq, Afghanistan tallies to $20,000 per family

Share

(Newser) – The costs of waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan is actually $1.5 trillion, Democrats say in a report out today—far above the $802 billion spent or appropriated by Congress. Citing "hidden costs" such as higher oil prices, veterans' care, and interest on war debt, the report estimates the average family of four has spent $20,000 so far, the Washington Post reports.

Sen. Chuck Schumer called the cost "tragically unacceptable," while Republicans have characterized the assessment as defeatist. Analysts on both sides of the aisle agree that while the report may be exaggerated, true costs are much higher than published. By comparison, Vietnam is estimated to have cost $600 billion in today's dollars, while World War II ran $4.9 trillion.

Congressional Democrats have published a new report on the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Congressional Democrats have published a new report on the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.   ((c) wyntuition)
President Bush sits among family members who lost their loved ones while serving in Iraq during a Veteran's Day ceremony at the American Legion Post 121 in Waco, Texas Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007. Malia Fry, right, wife of Marine Gunnery Sgt John Fry who died last year, holds her four-year...
President Bush sits among family members who lost their loved ones while serving in Iraq during a Veteran's Day ceremony at the American Legion Post 121 in Waco, Texas Sunday, Nov. 11, 2007. Malia Fry,...   (Associated Press)
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., in Congress.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., in Congress.   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.24.09
Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
0 comments
VIEWING:
 
LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

492 Stories

 Afghan 
 Calculus: 
 40K Troops 
 Equals $40B 

High long-term costs a big factor in debate

Nov 14, 09 4:04 PM CST
(Newser) - When President Obama rejected advisers' recommendations on Afghan troops and insisted they be retooled with exit strategies, he had the war's long-term financial costs in mind, an insider tells the New York Times . While military strategy gets the headlines, the financial constraints also are weighing heavily. Some specfics:
  • Gen.
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Afghanistan • US military • US troops • war cost • Afghanistan war • President Obama • Stanley McChrystal

Iraqi War Zone Sees
Big Spike in Birth Defects

Fallujah reports unusually high rate of abnormalities

Nov 14, 09 1:24 PM CST
(Newser) - Doctors in Fallujah are seeing an alarming rise in the number of birth defects and early life cancers. They have no definitive evidence, but suspicion has naturally fallen on toxic materials left behind after years of modern warfare, reports the Guardian . The rate of birth defects—including multiple tumors, nervous... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Iraq • warfare • Fallujah • chemical warfare • Iraq war • birth defect

 Muslims in US Military Suffer 
 Conflicts, Criticism 

Face distrust from military, flak from mosques

Nov 9, 09 7:18 AM CST
(Newser) - As the American Muslim community takes pains to distance itself from Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, the Fort Hood shootings add misery to the already complicated lives of Muslims serving in the armed forces. Drawn to the military by patriotism, Muslim soldiers arrive in Afghanistan or Iraq to find themselves confronting... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Iraq • Afghanistan • Muslim Americans • US military • Fort Hood shooting • Nidal Malik Hasan

492 Stories


Economic data on the Iraq war
Brookings Institution

The CBO's estimate (PDF)
Congressional Budget Office


Politics 
TwitterFollow @NewserPolitics on Twitter

 
Iraq • Afghanistan • Congress • Charles Schumer • congressional Democrats • Iraq veterans • Iraq war • war cost

from our news partners