Bush Wars Have Cost Each U.S. Family $20,000

[Hissyspit]

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Iraq_Afghanistan_wars_twice_as_expensive_1113.html

Iraq, Afghanistan wars twice as expensive as expected, Democrats say
Nick Juliano
Published: Tuesday November 13, 2007

'Hidden costs' behind skyrocketing price of war

President Bush's six-year invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq will end up costing Americans about $1.5 trillion, or nearly twice as much as the White House has actually spent to fight its wars, because of unseen costs like inflation, rising oil prices and expensive care for wounded veterans.

The estimate was revealed in a Democratic staff report from Congress's Joint Economic Committee. The staff report, titled "The Hidden Costs of the Iraq War," estimates that the Iraq and Afghan wars have cost the average family more than $20,000.

"The full economic costs of the war to the American taxpayers and the overall U.S. economy go well beyond even the immense federal budget costs already reported," said the report, which was obtained by the Washington Post.

The White House apparently has vastly underestimated the war's costs. It requested $804 billion -- just more than half the total costs -- to keep up its wars and occupations through 2008.

"The report argues that war funding is diverting billions of dollars away from "productive investment" by American businesses in the United States. It also says that the conflicts are pulling reservists and National Guardsmen away from their jobs, resulting in economic disruptions for U.S. employers that the report estimates at $1 billion to $2 billion," reports the Post's Josh White.

Furthermore, the report takes into account the massive healthcare costs for injured veterans and the declining economic productivity of vets who return home seriously injured. It also takes into account the massive interest the US will have to pay on the borrowed money that is funding the war.

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[Briar]

1. So

each US family has paid 20,000 dollars towards the slaughter or displacement of millions of Iraqis and Afghans.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Not yet. It's all been done on the credit card and each family still has the bill to pay.

[L. Coyote]

3. SO FAR! Wars only end if both sides agree, plus unintended consequences

can complicate any undertaking and add more costs.

That is also only the cost to Americans for American military action!

What does it cost to lose a million lives? to rebuild several nation?

What does it cost the world each day to pay $3.00 a gallon instead of $1.50 for gasoline?

[nancyharris]

4. and let us not forget

those members of Congress that voted to borrow the money to fund these wars.