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The Intercept reports:
The total U.S. budgetary cost of war since 2001 is $4.79 trillion, according to a report [PDF] [...] from Brown University's Watson Institute. That's the highest estimate yet.
Neta Crawford of Boston University, the author of the report, included interest on borrowing, future veterans needs, and the cost of homeland security in her calculations.
The amount of $4.79 trillion, "so large as to be almost incomprehensible", she writes, adds up like this:
- The wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, and other overseas operations already cost $1.7 trillion between 2001 and August 2016 with $103 billion more requested for 2017
- Homeland Security terrorism prevention costs from 2001 to 2016 were $548 billion.
- The estimated DOD base budget was $733 billion and veterans spending was $213 billion.
- Interest incurred on borrowing for wars was $453 billion.
- Estimated future costs for veterans' medical needs until the year 2053 is $1 trillion.
- And the amounts the DOD, State Department, and Homeland Security have requested for 2017 ($103 billion).
Crawford carried out a similar study[PDF] in June 2014 that estimated the cost of war at $4.4 trillion.
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Total Cost of USA's Wars Since 2001 Approaches $5 Trillion
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Grelb's Reminder:
Eighty percent of all people consider themselves to be above
average drivers.
(Score: 4, Informative) by Thexalon on Tuesday October 25 2016, @12:26PM
Funny you mention that: According to a report from a few months ago, the US DoD can't explain what happened to $6.5 trillion [rt.com]. For reference, that's approximately 1/3 of the US national debt. And hardly anyone has taken notice.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday October 25 2016, @01:02PM
That's easy. It's sitting in accounts in the Caymans, and Switzerland, and Luxembourg, and a half-dozen other offshore banks.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 1) by Sarasani on Wednesday October 26 2016, @01:53AM
The black hole of accounting for black ops?
(Score: 2) by FatPhil on Thursday October 27 2016, @07:59AM
Note, however, that they're quite informative when it comes to US stories, as they seem to disagree in almost every possible way with US media like Fox. Which means that it's more likely to be true than Fox is.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Thursday October 27 2016, @12:29PM
They are far from the only source of the story. Here's some more:
CNN [cnn.com]
Reuters [reuters.com]
Fiscal Times [thefiscaltimes.com]
These stories are all based on official government documents, which all demonstrate this same staggering amount of missing money.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.