Cost of Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
and the California Tradeoffs

During his June 2009 Cairo Islam speech, President Obama pledged
to “seek a new beginning between the United States
and Muslims around the world.”
Photo by Stephen Crowley, NY Times

By Ralph E. Stone

July 1, 2009

What is the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars so far and what are the California tradeoffs? As of June 30, 2009, in Iraq, 4,321 Americans have died as have from 92,435 to 100,911 civilians and another 2 million civilians have been displaced. In Afghanistan, 709 Americans have died and, although accurate counts are hard to come by, as many as 9,000 Afghan civilians have been killed and another 3.7 million refugees are living in neighboring countries.

The cost of those who died in these wars is immeasurable, but the dollar tradeoffs can be calculated.

The total dollar cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan so far exceeds $874 billion. Of this amount, California taxpayers have paid $114.9 billion since 2001. To place this figure in perspective, this money could have provided 47,305,588 people with health care for one year, or 204,784,939 homes with renewable electricity for one year, or 344,035 affordable housing units, or 13,748,158 Head Start places for children for one year, or 1,623,657 music and arts teachers for one year, or 1,650,766 elementary school teachers for one year, or 17,273,009 scholarships for university students for one year, or 2,053,320 public safety officers for one year.

There are also societal costs not included in the $874 billion figure mentioned above. A 2008, RAND Corporation study found that one-in-five Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or major depression. This study estimates the societal costs of PTSD and major depression for two years after deployment range from about $6,000 to more than $25,000 per case and estimates the total society costs for two years range from $4 billion to $6.2 billion. If PTSD and depression go untreated or are under treated, there is the likelihood of drug use, suicide, marital problems, unemployment and homelessness. The Veterans Administration estimates that 154,000 veterans nationwide are homeless on any given night. There are an estimated 49,724 homeless veterans in California.

Obviously we need an exit strategy for both Iraq and Afghanistan so monies can be spent on desperately needed domestic programs and to moderate expenses for veterans’ assistance. We have an exit strategy for Iraq. President Obama has ordered the 138,000 U.S. troops stationed in Iraq withdrawn in three phases. They’ll leave major cities – including Baghdad, Mosul and Baquoba – by the end of June. Combat operations will end by August of 2010 – leaving a force of up to 50,000 Americans, primarily to train Iraq’s military. All U.S. troops will be out by the end of 2011. President Obama has not announced an exit strategy for Aghanistan.

We cannot continue these enormous war expenditures ad infinitum, especially with our faltering economy. This money could be better spent elsewhere.

Ralph E. Stone

I was born in Massachusetts; graduated from Middlebury College and Suffolk Law School; served as an officer in the Vietnam war; retired from the Federal Trade Commission (consumer and antitrust law); travel extensively with my wife Judi; and since retirement involved in domestic violence prevention and consumer issues.

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