The Cost of (2) Wars

By Ken Tucci, WBZ-TV Producer

December 6, 2010 11:25 AM

File image (credit: AP)

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With all the talk about the national debt, deficit spending and proposed cuts/taxes, I am curious about how much the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are costing us – total amount so far, and this year alone. Seems nobody is reporting this anymore. - Eagles, Ashland

According to a report from “Congressional Research Service” the total cost of both wars has been $1.1 trillion.

This fiscal year the war in Afghanistan is expected to cost $72.9 billion and the war in Iraq, $66 billion.

The cost for Afghanistan has been going up since the surge there, while the cost has been going down in Iraq as troops pull out.

Of course in any discussion of war costs we can’t forget the human costs.

What do you think? Is it worth it?

massman

Those numbers don’t include annual military spending. That will add an additonal $663 billion for this year. So we’re in the $800 billion dollar range for the year. If anybody is truly serious about reducing the national debt, then this is where we need to start. If you believe otherwise, then you truly do not care about the debt. Cheney & Bush have basically destroyed this country with the war in Iraq, tax cuts, and medicare part D. Tax cuts in a time of war. Good grief.
Wilson

I am curious how much the wars would have cost us had we not gone to war at all…total amount….this year alone?
DStein

The $138.9 billion the two wars cost us this year represents less than 10% of the $1.4 trillion dollar deficits Obama has racked up over the last two years. Why don’t we start cutting out the other 90% of the spending to at least ATTEMPT to balance the budget!

At $138.9 billion the two wars cost a fraction of what supporting illegal immigrants cost us each year.

It’s also less than what we spend on aid to foreign countries each year.
taxedout

People losing houses, jobs, going to food pantries, and we spend all this money to help people who would shoot us in the back. Guy’s dying for nothing.Waste of lives and money…Get out of both of them let other countries deal with it…Close our borders and protect our own peope!!!