Cost of Doing War (excluding the human factor)

Major General Smedley Butler: WAR is a racket. -

It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious. It is the only one international in scope. It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and the losses in lives.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article4377.htm
>>>>>>
The list of profiteers would be too long to post on a blog. The Industrial Complex is merely a drop in the bucket of greedy money grabbers. Taxpayers pay for wars, Business profits from them. Not only do YOU pay for the wars, so will your descendents, repaying the massive debt Bush has made by borrowing money - especially from China.
>>>>>>>>>

Three charged in probe of Pentagon Iraq contracts:
A U.S. Army major accused of accepting millions of dollars in bribes from contractors doing business with the Pentagon in Iraq and Kuwait, his wife and sister, have been charged in Texas, the U.S. Justice Department said.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N25355411.htm
>>>>>>>
Yes indeed, prosecute those thieving minnows. But what about the larger fish that have also accepted and paid bribes? What about the crooked defrauders and scammers that have milked the war fund for billions and drained the Iraqi oil money and finances? Businesses that have been exposed receive a mere slap on the wrist, and the Mega-whales like Haliburton and KBR get off scott free.
>>>>>>>>

>>>>>>
Just in taxpayer money and borrowed money, what does the war cost?
This zfacts site presents a graph up to 2007:
Cost of Iraq War

The Pentagon's estimate of their monthly "burn rate" is about $6.8 B/month now, ... We're now near $300 billion, and annual costs are still rising. ...

http://www.zfacts.com/p/447.html

Projected costs?:

http://usgovinfo.about.com/librart/weekly/aairaqwarcost.htm
War in Iraq could cost up to $9 billion monthly, says CBO
>>>>

What could be done domestically with all that money? This excerpt gives a few facts re: the social costs based on war expenditures from 2004. What would the escalated costs of today pay for at home?
Excerpt from http://www.ips-dc.org/iraq/failedtransition/index.htm

D. SOCIAL COSTS

U.S. Budget and Social Programs: The Bush administration's combination of massive spending on the war and tax cuts for the wealthy means less money for social spending. The $151.1 billion expenditure for the war through this year could have paid for: close to 23 million housing vouchers; health care for over 27 million uninsured Americans; salaries for nearly 3 million elementary school teachers [WA: who are leaving the profession in droves]; 678,200 new fire engine; over 20 million Head Start slots for children; or health care coverage for 82 million children. A leaked memo from the White House to domestic agencies outlines major cuts following the election, including funding for education, Head Start, home ownership, job training, medical research and homeland security. [WA: Pre-planned!]
>>>>>>
And now Bush wants to wage war on Iran also, with an eye on Syria too? Gets us involved in Africa and lets his dogs of war growl at Venezuela. Dabbles in Colombia and other States. How much more can our nation tolerate? Or how much more will the world tolerate?

Comments:

Daniel said...
Hey, as long as the wealthy are making lots of money, who cares if the taxpayers have to foot the bill for the wars for centuries. This is capitalism! Its motto: Enjoy now - pay later.Cheers from kangaroo land!
Monday, July 30, 2007 5:26:00 AM