The cost of war in plain English

The war in Iraq has now cost Americans countless dollars and over 4,000 American lives. I say over 4,000 because the death toll put out by the Bush administration does not include all the American contractors that have died in the war.

There are studies that estimate the long-term costs as being anywhere from one to six trillion dollars, and the general consensus now -- even among the most optimistic Bush Believers -- is that the least we will end up spending in Iraq will be more than one trillion dollars. That's if we start pulling troops out tomorrow. Already, not counting such expenses as continued health care for wounded veterans, replacing worn-out equipment, or the increase in oil prices from $30 per barrel in 2003 to $111 per barrel in 2008, the actual appropriations for the Iraq war are currently more than $513 billion.

Leaving all future costs aside, and not counting those that have already accrued but have been hidden away in secret intelligence budgets and executive side-deals, let's talk about the $500 billion that is on the books, the undeniable dollars that can't be covered up or disputed by even the most thirsty of Bushie Kool-Aid drinkers.

Most normal folks like you and me really don't comprehend just how much money $500 billion is. When we hear experts tell us that the money we have spent in Iraq would be enough to ensure healthcare for millions of Americans, we get mad and shake our heads at the stupidity of preemptive war with a country that never posed a serious, credible threat to America. But we still don't fully understand the massiveness of such a huge amount of cash. I will attempt to put it in terms that don't require an advanced degree in economics to get a clear grasp on just how much dough we have wasted on this ill-advised foray into nation-building by force of arms.

Iraq has a population of about 27 million people. If all 27 million Iraqis were to each rob an American bank of $19,000-- that would add up to $513 billion. Online Journal