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The Cost of the Iraq War

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 09:29:00 AM EST
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Via The Gavel (blog of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi)As we wait for President Bush's report to be released today that will lower expectations for Iraq, here's a graphic from the non-partisan Congressional Research Service. CRS reports that since the President's escalation began, the cost of the war in Iraq has increased to $10 billion per month.

In 2007, so far, our Government has spent $27 billion on the War on Drugs.

No wonder our Government can't provide us with adequate health insurance.

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    The Cost of the Iraq War | 44 comments (44 topical)

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    Not Only (5.00 / 1) (#29)
    by squeaky on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 01:24:13 PM EST
    It is no wonder that our government can't provide us with adequate health insurance. Not only that the current and past GOP strategy is to bankrupt the government so that they can not afford to fund any social programs like Medicare and Social Security.

    The strategy to have private contractors in all levels of government from the CIA to the Iraq war at a  much, much higer cost than those who are civil servants or enlistees is also why it is no wonder that the government cannot provide us with Universal health coverage.

    A perverse overdetermined version of Natural Selection at work.

    I have to ask (none / 0) (#1)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 10:18:08 AM EST
    Where in the constitution is there warrant and sanction for the gov't to provide health insurance?

    I have to ask (5.00 / 1) (#2)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 10:37:10 AM EST
    Who said there was?

    [ Parent ]
    I have to add (none / 0) (#3)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:02:30 AM EST
    If it not in the constitution, then they should stay out of it.  Unless, of course you are a big gov't anti-individual type person.  Both parties in DC have huge problems with reading the constitution.

    If it is not in the constitution, then it is not the job of the federal gov't.  

    [ Parent ]

    Declaration (5.00 / 1) (#4)
    by Sailor on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:08:27 AM EST
    Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

    Kinda hard to pursue happiness when you have a sick kid and no money.

    [ Parent ]

    LOL! (none / 0) (#6)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:16:47 AM EST
    Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness is in the Declaration  of Independence.  Gov't schools?


    [ Parent ]
    My subject line noted it was in the Declaration (none / 0) (#27)
    by Sailor on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 12:49:30 PM EST
    which is a statement of our founding principles and reason for the break from Britain.

    And most Americans would agree that not protecting the least amongst us is antithetical to American values.

    But far be it for a wrongwinger to think letting children starve or die from easily treated/cured medical problems.

    [ Parent ]

    Yup that's me (none / 0) (#37)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 04:38:17 PM EST
    But far be it for a wrongwinger to think letting children starve or die from easily treated/cured medical problems.

     Where did I say that?

    That would be a troll post.

    [ Parent ]

    Funny (5.00 / 2) (#5)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:15:10 AM EST
    I don't see imperial hegemony and control of the energy resources of  Iraq and the Middle East anywhere in the Constitution either. Perhaps you have a link to the relevant section?

    [ Parent ]
    I agree (none / 0) (#7)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:17:41 AM EST
    War was not declared.  Try to stay on topic.

    [ Parent ]
    The cost of the Iraq war? (none / 0) (#8)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:19:10 AM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Not declared? (none / 0) (#10)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:20:53 AM EST
    You can point to the section of the Constitution that provides for illegal wars of aggression then?

    [ Parent ]
    It is not a consititutional war (1.00 / 1) (#13)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:29:49 AM EST
    War was not declared.  

    [ Parent ]
    You said that twice now. (none / 0) (#30)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 01:29:17 PM EST
    I agree. Time to withdraw from Iraq.

    After all:

    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 08:02:30 AM PST
    If it not in the constitution, then they should stay out of it.
    You know, you're the first Bush supporter I've ever seen who's ever come this far, wile.

    Maybe some of the other wingnuts will feel it's ok to start smartening up, now that you've done the pathbreaking work for them.

    Ever thought about running for office, wile?

    [ Parent ]

    Where (none / 0) (#31)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 01:47:07 PM EST
    did I say I was a Bush supporter.  I think I have said several times he is a Rockefeller Republican.  Definitely not a conservative.  Rockefeller Republicans are worse than Dems.  They spend money while saying they are for small gov't.  Most dems don't bother saying they are for small gov't.  

    [ Parent ]
    My mistake. (none / 0) (#32)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 01:58:31 PM EST
    Good. Lets end the Iraq occupation today then.

    Since you don't support Bush I imagine you don't support his idiocy either, yes?

    BTW, do you think he deserves better treatment than his prisoners in gitmo, before we give him a fair trial and hang him?

    [ Parent ]

    LOL (1.00 / 1) (#33)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 02:33:25 PM EST
    I don't support any iodicy anywhere.  Of course your definition of idiocy maybe different than mine.  Unless you can dig up some gov't entity that determines idiocy for all of us (FCC fairness doctrine).  Do you support the idiocy on the left to take away the individual rights of persons by not allowing them to own guns?  

    You being a new small gov't guy (so small you need a microscope to see it), LOL.  Surely you are against the fairness doctrine, correct?

    [ Parent ]

    Do you always (none / 0) (#34)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 02:43:20 PM EST
    answer questions with questions to avoid answering questions?

    Are you telling me you do support Bush now, or are you telling me you don't think his unprovoked attacks resulting in the deaths of 4000 Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis is idiocy?

    [ Parent ]

    Ok (none / 0) (#35)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 04:34:09 PM EST
    its a shame, a darn shame.  

    [ Parent ]
    What is? (none / 0) (#36)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 04:37:35 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    Delicious irony, Edgar. (none / 0) (#39)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 07:01:44 PM EST
    Intentional?

    ;-)

    [ Parent ]

    It's Edger btw. Not Edgar. (none / 0) (#40)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 07:04:14 PM EST
    You knew that didn't you, sarc?

    ;-)

    [ Parent ]

    Now that MUST have been international... (none / 0) (#41)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 07:05:40 PM EST
    You do have a sense of humor!

    [ Parent ]
    You know what the funniest thing in the world is? (none / 0) (#43)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 07:25:38 PM EST


    [ Parent ]
    er, "intentional" (none / 0) (#42)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 07:06:21 PM EST
    dam spell check...

    [ Parent ]
    Sorry (none / 0) (#11)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:20:57 AM EST
    you were on topic.  We agree.  Read and go by the Constitution.  

    [ Parent ]
    As I wrote (none / 0) (#9)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:19:14 AM EST
    before both parties have huge problems reading the Constitution.  

    [ Parent ]
    No. Only you and the rest of the wingnuts. (none / 0) (#12)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:23:27 AM EST
    No one besides you has claimed any rights to health insurance.

    [ Parent ]
    LOL (none / 0) (#14)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:31:14 AM EST
    Excellent!  No one here thinks the gov't should provide universal health care!  Super!  Less gov't for all!

    [ Parent ]
    You have a link or a quote (none / 0) (#15)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:33:35 AM EST
    to anyone saying that?

    Maybe more coffee would help this morning, wile.

    [ Parent ]

    Not (none / 0) (#18)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:39:03 AM EST
    to worry, I will never seriously accuse you of being a small gov't person.  

    [ Parent ]
    Me neither. (none / 0) (#21)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:46:32 AM EST
    I'd rather have to use a microscope to see the government.

    [ Parent ]
    You need to read the last line in TL's posting (none / 0) (#16)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:33:58 AM EST
    here I will cut and paste:

    No wonder our Government can't provide us with adequate health insurance.
     

    There is one person here that does think that.  

    [ Parent ]

    No, wile. (5.00 / 1) (#19)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:40:49 AM EST
    Jeralyn has not claimed it is a "right", constitutional or otherwise. She noted that the occupation of Iraq is costing $120 Billion per year, or about $440 Billion so far, or about $110 Million per killed American Soldier.

    Imagine spending $110 Million to keep someone alive, wile.

    Ridiculous figure, isn't it?

    Health insurance for everyone would be far cheaper, I'm sure you'd agree.


    [ Parent ]

    How would health insurance be (1.00 / 1) (#25)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 12:14:37 PM EST
    Cheaper if we not in Iraq?  Would the gov't use that taxpayer supplied money to buy health insurance for people?  Unconstitutional.  Make the connection.  

    [ Parent ]
    You need to stop trying (none / 0) (#28)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 01:14:40 PM EST
    to claim I said something I didn't say, wile. It's too close to lying. You'll end up with a rep as bad as ppj's.

    I said cheaper than spending $440 Billion on a war.

    Of course that $110 Million per dead American Soldier could have bought some health insurance for them, like better body armor, upgraded humvees, etc.

    You know, things that might have kept them alive.

    Even better, not sending them to Iraq in the first place would have been the best health insurance, and probably would have kept them alive.

    An ounce of prevention, you know?

    [ Parent ]

    Here I will (none / 0) (#26)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 12:18:40 PM EST
    cut and paste again:

    No wonder our Government can't provide us with adequate health insurance.

    Gov't supplied or provided health care insurance is unconstitutional.  

    [ Parent ]

    There is (none / 0) (#17)
    by Wile ECoyote on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:38:16 AM EST
    defiantly no right to health insurance.

    [ Parent ]
    Would it make (none / 0) (#44)
    by jondee on Sat Jul 14, 2007 at 03:18:11 PM EST
    you and Rush feel better if all those reliant on Medicare and Medicaid were just left to fend for themselves, Wile? Maybe we could help things along and put the old ones on rafts and leave the little ones in crevices. Praise Jeez-us 'n God Bless 'Merica!

    [ Parent ]
    That 26% (none / 0) (#45)
    by jondee on Sat Jul 14, 2007 at 03:20:21 PM EST
    is so well represented, aint it folks?

    [ Parent ]
    Didn't our founding fathers suggest (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:44:01 AM EST
    we redo that thing every so often?  Let's redo it!

    [ Parent ]
    An amendment (5.00 / 1) (#22)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:50:53 AM EST
    making wingnuttery punishable by conscription into wars supported by wingnuts, wars that by law must be fought only by those wingnuts and their families?

    [ Parent ]
    That sounds divine (5.00 / 1) (#23)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:53:07 AM EST
    Do we put that one before or after the equal rights amendment I wonder.............hmmmmm?

    [ Parent ]
    After the amendment (5.00 / 1) (#24)
    by Edger on Thu Jul 12, 2007 at 11:55:24 AM EST
    requiring that those wars be financed only by payroll deduction from the wingnuts conscripted to fight in them. And their families - just so that they are careful about which wars they support.

    [ Parent ]
    The Cost of the Iraq War | 44 comments (44 topical)

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