Is war sustainable at $14 million per hour?

2014-12-23T08:31:08-05:00

American taxpayers have shelled out roughly $1.6 trillion on war spending since 9/11, according to a new report from Congress’ nonpartisan research arm. That’s roughly $337 million a day -- or nearly a quarter million dollars a minute -- every single day for 13 years.

The $1.6 trillion estimate, which comes to $14 million per hour since 9/11, from the Congressional Research Service is up roughly half a trillion dollars from its 2010 estimate, which found that the post-9/11 military operations are second only to World War II in terms of financial cost.

In its report, which was released earlier this month, CRS finds that the 92 percent of the war-related expenditures since 9/11 have flowed into the Pentagon. Just 6 percent has been spent on foreign assistance and diplomacy, and 1 percent on medical services for veterans.

The report, which was posted on the website of the Federation of American Scientists, breaks down the war-related expenditures by different military operations. It finds that a little more than half the $1.6 trillion has gone toward operations in Iraq. Another $686 billion has been spent on military operations in Afghanistan.

CRS notes that the Obama administration is requesting nearly $6 billion in new funding to finance military operations against the Islamic State group, but researchers note that predicting "future costs of the new U.S. role in countering the Islamic State is difficult because of the nature of the air campaign and uncertainties about whether the U.S. mission may expand.”

Last week, a Defense Department official disclosed that since August, U.S. taxpayers have already spent more than $1 billion -- or $8 million a day -- on air strikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Additionally, the Obama administration announced it is deploying 1,300 troops to Iraq in January.
http://www.ibtimes.com/14-million-hour-war-costs-top-16-trillion-911-say-congressional-researchers-1764816?ft=3aj78&utm_medium=Dec_23_2014_0401_198684&utm_source=TailoredMail&utm_term=%20Cost+Of+War+Since+9%2f11%3a+%2414+Million+An+Hour&utm_campaign=Dec_23_2014_0401

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2014 8:44 AM

2014-12-23T08:44:36-05:00

Clearly not, which is why we keep pushing to slash troops pay and benefits.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 23 at 2014 12:26 PM

2014-12-23T12:26:18-05:00

The GWOT is the cheapest American war ever.

Consider WWII. At $288 billion in 1940 dollars, that's $4.857 trillion today. Which comes to $148 million per hour.

Response by PFC Stephen Eric Serati made Dec 23 at 2014 1:44 PM

2014-12-23T13:44:16-05:00

We need to find away to spend less on combat with the same results=advanced technology,not current technology,and more priority on real meaning full Diplomacy,and by the way Diplomacy never ends.6%is not meaningful.Assistance should be more.Citizens deserve more than what they get now.They deserve to be treated with resrespect.And our Veterans,1%,that's just embarrassing and lowers mortal.Remember Veterans have children and grandchildren.By treating them bad what kind of product do you think you will get.

Response by PFC Stephen Eric Serati made Dec 23 at 2014 1:52 PM

2014-12-23T13:52:08-05:00

Morale not mortal

Response by SGT James Elphick made Feb 16 at 2015 5:24 PM

2015-02-16T17:24:41-05:00

This is why we needed the sequester and instead of whining about funding cuts being forced to figure out how to fight more effectively and efficiently. Driving multi-million dollar vehicles into IED's all day, every day gets expensive. So does using a 2000 lb. JDAM when a 155mm arty shell would do the trick. We developed tactics that, while intended to save lives (always admirable) actual had the effect of increasing the costs of war and negating our ability to take the fight to the enemy. We threw out our manuals in favor of a technological advantage that has not paid dividends. So, no war at this level of expense is not sustainable, especially when it fails to produce tangible results.