Huffpo is headlining with a report on the current cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- One trillion dollars (mostly borrowed from our children and grandchildren), and counting.
And what did we get for that?
Hypothetical: Lets say the wars prevented 20,000 deaths in the US, that would have been the result of terrorism. It has also cost the US 5000 soldiers (rounded down), for a net savings of 15,000 lives.
$one trillion / 15,000 lives = $66,666,666/life.
$66+ million per life, which of course assumes that there would have been a series of successful catastrophic terrorist attacks against the US, at least one of which would have eclipsed the attacks on the WTC.
Did that one trillion buy lasting democracy in Iraq or Afghanistan? The jury is still out. Did that one trillion deter Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons? Looks doubtful.
On the bright side, according to WolframAlpha, the cost of these wars only comes to $3210 dollars for every American man, woman and child. Cheap, right? For a one-time payment of $10,000, LR, Faith and I could do our part for this country to break even on this war.
What else can one trillion dollars buy?
And what did we get for that?
Hypothetical: Lets say the wars prevented 20,000 deaths in the US, that would have been the result of terrorism. It has also cost the US 5000 soldiers (rounded down), for a net savings of 15,000 lives.
$one trillion / 15,000 lives = $66,666,666/life.
$66+ million per life, which of course assumes that there would have been a series of successful catastrophic terrorist attacks against the US, at least one of which would have eclipsed the attacks on the WTC.
Did that one trillion buy lasting democracy in Iraq or Afghanistan? The jury is still out. Did that one trillion deter Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons? Looks doubtful.
On the bright side, according to WolframAlpha, the cost of these wars only comes to $3210 dollars for every American man, woman and child. Cheap, right? For a one-time payment of $10,000, LR, Faith and I could do our part for this country to break even on this war.
What else can one trillion dollars buy?
Comment