Jonathan Weisman at the Washington Post has an interesting article on the increasing cost of the war in Iraq. The rate of spending is enormous:
The cost of the war in U.S. fatalities has declined this year, but the cost in treasure continues to rise, from $48 billion in 2003 to $59 billion in 2004 to $81 billion in 2005 to an anticipated $94 billion in 2006, according to the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. The U.S. government is now spending nearly $10 billion a month in Iraq and Afghanistan, up from $8.2 billion a year ago, a new Congressional Research Service report found.
One can imagine that if the disengagement happens as planned, the costs may peak at $100 billion a year.
Somewhat surprised Weisman’s article left many gasping about the amount of money spent thus far. An equal number share a pang of anger that so many are in fact gasping. One can easily equate us to a teenager set loose with dad’s credit card only to be slapped with reality when the bill arrives. In this case its our credit card … and this war is hardly a secret.
Despite a few flaws with the fatuous figures quoted, numerous issues and debates should arise from this information. Political agendas aside, this specific comment isolates a singular component of the article regarding money spent.
To spend that much ‘treasure’ on any one given project outside our natural boundaries is a tad bit exorbitant and almost impossiblel to get a detailed accounting.
“Why buy a pint when you can get a keg,” seems to be our new philosophy on spending.
Meanwhile, some of us out of school for the past five years still owe a balance of $65,000 for our student loans. There has to be new methods of attainment to obtain harmony and new priorities in spending …. I would suggest investing in the future along the lines of secondary education as the first step.