Iraq war bill could top $2.6 trillion

Not only is the war killing or maiming tens of thousands of Americans — it is also bankrupting America!

commentary by David Duke –

Reuters reports that a new study by Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph E. Stiglitz and Harvard lecturer Linda Bilmes has concluded that the Iraq War is projected to cost over 2.6 trillion dollars. That’s the cost even if America completely withdraws from Iraq within four years. It doesn’t take into account a many years drawn out or escalating conflict.

The horrendous loss of over 2200 American lives and over 16,000 crippled or maimed Americans is enough reason for all true American patriots to reexamine this insane war that is only making America more hated and vulnerable to terrorism.

The costs of the war have previously only dealt with the direct military costs and not the associated costs that come with the conflict. For instance, the estimates never addressed the long term medical care of tens of thousands of American veterans of Iraq. For instance, the Pentagon’s figures show that over 30 percent of returning Iraq Veterans have mental health problems requiring long-term care.

The economists have projected these costs and other associated with the Iraq War and they have projected a total cost of over 2.6 trillion dollars. Even their most conservative estimate is over 1 trillion dollars.

To get an idea of the astromical figure of 2.6 trillion dollars, consider that the entire budget of the U.S. Government for 2006 is less than 2.6 trillion dollars!

Consider that the federal government spends only:

69 billion total on Education

259 billion total on Health

293 billion total on Medicare

516 billion total on Social Security for tens of millions of American retirees and disabled.

Consider that saving 2.6 trillion dollars would enable the deepest tax cuts in history for the hard-pressed working people of America. (more…)