The Staggering Cost Of America's Wars In Iraq And Afghanistan

The United States government has spent trillions of dollars on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001. The exact amount is difficult to calculate due to hidden costs and ongoing expenses, but estimates range from $1.1 trillion to $6.4 trillion. This includes direct and indirect spending on military equipment, homeland security, veteran care, and interest on borrowed funds. The financial burden of these wars will continue to rise even after the conflicts have ended, impacting American taxpayers for decades to come.

The US spent $2 trillion on the war in Afghanistan

The $2 trillion spent on the war in Afghanistan is part of the larger costs of the US post-9/11 wars, which extend to Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, and elsewhere. The total estimated cost of these wars is $5.8 trillion, which includes direct and indirect spending on military equipment, homeland security, and death gratuities for the families of slain American service members.

The human cost of the war in Afghanistan has been significant, with more than 2,400 American soldiers and more than 38,000 Afghan civilians killed. In addition, the war has caused widespread destruction and displacement, with more than 243,000 people dying as a direct result of the conflict.

The money spent by the US in Afghanistan has had limited impact. The Taliban control much of the country, and Afghanistan remains one of the world's largest sources of refugees and migrants. Opium production has quadrupled, and the country's economy remains small and fragile, with most Afghans living in poverty.

The US spent a significant amount of money on training and equipping the Afghan military, which ultimately collapsed in a matter of weeks in the face of the Taliban advance. This has led to criticism that the US spending in Afghanistan was wasted or misused, with private contractors and corporations raking in profits while failing to create sustainable institutions and infrastructure.

The UK spent £8.4 billion on military operations in Iraq

The UK spent a total of £8.4 billion on military operations in Iraq from 2003 to 2009, according to the Ministry of Defence. This amount came from a government fund called the "Special Reserve", which had a balance of £7.4 billion at the time.

The UK's military operations in Iraq, known as Operation Telic, were a significant financial burden on the country. By March 2006, the UK had already spent approximately £4.5 billion in Iraq. This amount is part of the overall cost of the Iraq War, which has been contested due to hidden costs not included in official estimates.

The Iraq War, which began in 2003, resulted in significant expenses for the United States and the United Kingdom, the two largest non-Iraqi participants in the multinational force. The costs of military operations, equipment, and reconstruction efforts have been substantial for both countries.

In addition to the financial costs, the human toll of the Iraq War has been significant. Critics have also argued that the UK's involvement in the Iraq War had negative consequences, such as contributing to the radicalisation of young Muslims in the country.

The UK's military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan have been judged as "strategic failures", with the total cost of these operations exceeding £20 billion. The high cost of these operations has drawn criticism from those questioning the allocation of government spending, especially during times of financial strain.

The US government has spent $2.2 trillion on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq

The US government has financed military spending almost entirely through debt since the September 11 attacks. The cost of interest on the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq will add an additional $2.1 trillion by 2030. Through 2050, the interest alone is forecast to exceed $6.5 trillion, even if war spending stopped in 2019. This means that American taxpayers could ultimately owe $6.5 trillion for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and that's just the interest.

The US has committed to paying the health care, disability, burial, and other costs for about 4 million Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans, projected to amount to more than $2 trillion. These costs will peak after 2048. The US has also lost a significant amount of military equipment during the wars, with the military stating that the yearly refurbishment cost has increased by a factor of ten compared to the pre-war state.

The true cost of the wars is difficult to calculate, as there are many hidden costs not represented in official estimates. For example, the US Department of Defense's direct spending on Iraq totalled at least $757.8 billion, but there are also complementary costs to consider, such as interest paid on the funds borrowed to finance the wars. Academics and critics have unearthed many hidden costs, and the true figure is likely to be much higher than the official estimates.

The US has spent $6.4 trillion on post-9/11 wars

> "Even if the United States withdraws completely from the major war zones by the end of FY2020 and halts its other Global War on Terror operations, in the Philippines and Africa for example, the total budgetary burden of the post-9/11 wars will continue to rise as the U.S. pays the on-going costs of veterans' care and for interest on borrowing to pay for the wars."

The $6.4 trillion figure includes the cost of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria, which have expanded to more than 80 countries, becoming a "truly global war on terror". The report also finds that more than 801,000 people have died as a direct result of fighting, with more than 335,000 of those being civilians. A further 21 million people have been displaced due to violence.

The US government has financed military spending almost entirely through debt since the post-9/11 era, marking a shift from previous wars, which were largely paid for by taxes and war bonds. The $6.4 trillion cost of post-9/11 wars is $2 trillion more than the entire federal government spending during the 2019 fiscal year.

The Watson Institute's figure is an estimate, as the US government has never provided a full accounting of the costs of America's "forever wars". The report includes the Pentagon's spending and its Overseas Contingency Operations account, as well as war-related spending by the Department of State, past and obligated spending for war veterans' care, interest on debt incurred, and the prevention of and response to terrorism by the Department of Homeland Security.

The true cost of the wars will be even higher when considering the indirect consequences, such as the loss of access to food, water, infrastructure, and other long-term impacts on health in war zones.

The US has spent $5.8 trillion on the war in Afghanistan and other conflicts stemming from 9/11

The $5.8 trillion figure is part of a larger cost of the US post-9/11 wars, which extend to Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, and elsewhere. The total estimated cost of these conflicts is $6.4 trillion since 2001, with over 801,000 people killed as a direct result of the fighting and 21 million people displaced due to violence.

The cost of the war in Afghanistan specifically has been estimated at $2 trillion, with $1.5 trillion spent on waging war, $10 billion on counternarcotics, $87 billion to train Afghan military and police forces, $24 billion on economic development, and $30 billion on other reconstruction programs. In addition, the US government has spent over $500 billion on interest on the money borrowed to fund the war, and this figure is expected to continue rising for decades.

The human cost of the war in Afghanistan has been devastating, with more than 2,400 American soldiers and over 38,000 Afghan civilians killed. In addition, the Taliban control much of the country, and Afghanistan remains one of the world's largest sources of refugees and migrants.

The financial cost of the war has also been significant, with the US government spending trillions of dollars and borrowing heavily to fund the conflict. The true cost of the war, including interest and long-term consequences, may not be fully understood for decades.

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