I was talking with a friend yesterday about what the actual total cost of the war in Iraq will be in U.S. dollars at the end of the day. I was wondering what the people on this board thought. This estimate should not include the operation in Afghanistan or any shockwaves that follow. Just the final bill for the Iraq war.

the 1st time a life was lost we could no longer put a price tag on it.

We'll never know. Do you count soldiers' salaries that we would have been paying anyway? Do you count the larger volume of jet fuel cost (over and above what we'd be using if there was not war) or total jet fuel cost? Elevated maintenance or total maintenance? Etc.

Either side can, and does, play with the numbers.

Originally posted by mad dog
the 1st time a life was lost we could no longer put a price tag on it. damn mad dog, that was profound !

Originally posted by Tapeworm
I was talking with a friend yesterday about what the actual total cost of the war in Iraq will be in U.S. dollars at the end of the day. I was wondering what the people on this board thought. This estimate should not include the operation in Afghanistan or any shockwaves that follow. Just the final bill for the Iraq war. 10 kabillion, 100 zillion, 4 trillion, 500 billion, 4 million, 175 thousand, 253 dollars..................and 55 cents. :D

Originally posted by korg
10 kabillion, 100 zillion, 4 trillion, 500 billion, 4 million, 175 thousand, 253 dollars..................and 55 cents. :D

Smartass!:D (p.s. - say "hey" to Clifton if you see her)

I want to consider everything above and beyond the "normal" cost of running the military (I know human lives are priceless but we can't count that here but we can include death benefit payouts). My friend estimated about 900 million up to 1.3 trillion. I think it will actually be much higher than that as many of the vehicles being used will have to be replaced. I think it will be in the 4 to 6 trillion range when all is said and done.

When you talk of price, the question you have to ask is what is the price of freedom and security? How much are we willing to pay to not have to live the Israelis have to day and day out? I can point out that during the Clinton Administration terrorism wasn't much of priority and treated more of a law enforcement rather than military problem. This approach and the rather sluggish, ineffective counter terrorism strikes (the bombing of the aspirin factory in the Sudan plus the launching of cruise missles at Saddam's Iraq to hit terrorist camps that were already abandoned come to mind) to combat terrorism only enboldened a hardened and determined enemy that wanted to strike the West. You've mentioned cost, and in Iraq its not cheap, but freedom never was, it will always take blood, treasury, lives and vigilence to maintain it. Iraq is a gamble, with huge stakes both ways. If the U.S. wins, Iraq could very well go on to shed its radical islamic and thugish dictatorship roots to become a democracy that could spread to other parts of the Middle East. A prosperous, democratic Middle East will mean that the pool of potential anti-Western Jihadist for the Bin Ladens of the world to recruit from will dry up. If the U.S. loses, it will show our worst enemies that we are weak, it will show the moderate muslims that there is no safety in trying to embrace Western ideals, the radical Islamists will be able to point out that the West is weak and corrupt and responsible for the misery that is so widespread throughout the Middle East. You can expect even more unrest from the Middle East as the radical Islamists consolidate their hold on the Middle East. You can expect attacks against U.S. interest abroad, you can expect more of those color coded alerts to appear. In the worst case scenario, one could expect al queda type sleeper cells to become active here and carry out attacks on U.S. soil.


The U.S. cannot "afford" to lose Iraq, and that makes the cost, in terms of dollars, of going to war cheap.

Originally posted by Darth Be'lal
When you talk of price, the question you have to ask is what is the price of freedom and security?

What nonsense.

Our waging war against Iraq has nothing to do with *freedom and security*.

Iraq posed no threat to the "freedom and security" of the US.

True, the terrorist element in that region poses a threat, but ...

a) it remains to be seen if the threat justified throwing several hundred billion (at least) dollars at it

b) it is not at all certain that what we are doing is in ANY way lessening the threat

c) it is highly questionable that any military "solution" can eliminate or even lessen the threat.

In point of fact, a far better way to have a positive effect against the threat is thru cooperation and understanding.

Here here Mad Dog.

I don't know does the 'Price' include the arming and backing of Saddam as well?

Throwing money at problems doesn't solve them. Those in power of the US do not understand this. Properly funding things so that they continue well into the future does. Maintainence is everything. Unfortunatly the leaders of the US (intentionally) do a pretty good job of picking despots. Either way country-less corporations win!!!!

Originally posted by mad dog
the 1st time a life was lost we could no longer put a price tag on it.
------------------------------

I agree, even one life is a terrible price.

To come up with a monitary price, there would have to be a conclusion. Which may never completely come about.

the cost of WWII in Euope + the Pacific was aboyr 480 billion $ in today's money.

Iraq is not so far away from that already.

if you really want to trip out figure out the cost of the iraq war in 1940's dollars.

Leave these boards for a couple of days and look what happens.

Well freethinker,


Our waging war against Iraq has nothing to do with *freedom and security*.

What was the quote? "The only thing needed for evil to spread is for good men to do nothing. It's interesting, your position and rebuttals. First off, Clinton warned the U.S. as well as the U.N. that not paying attention to what was happening in Kosovo could allow for evil to spread. I remember him saying that on a television interview. Yet, I never heard one peep of complaint that KOSOVO, of all places, could evolve into a threat to the U.S. I'm still convinced that your rabid opposition to this war in Iraq is about Getting Bush.


True, the terrorist element in that region poses a threat, but ...

So you acknowledge that radical islam IS a threat, yet you have no ideas on how to counter it. The Democrats in Washington have the same problem with a variety of issues and no ideas. You can understand why I voted for Bush. Dammit.



In point of fact, a far better way to have a positive effect against the threat is thru cooperation and understanding.

Cooperation and understanding? With who? Bin Laden? Bin Laden, Al queda and others don't have a problem with understanding the U.S., they understand all too well. It's people like you who don't understand. If I were to ask why the Bin Laden types are out to get the U.S. and the West, I know exactly the line of crap you'd respond with. I've also outlined why "they" hate us, but you guys never seem to pick up it.

Dammit.