The Cost of War

[LorDiego01]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/ga...1007war_costs/

How can anybody look at these numbers and not just throw up??

Honestly, screw every Iraqi man, woman AND child. Its simply not worth it.

Lets bring the troops home.

[phillyd2]

Understand the thinking but $ 611 Billion to the US is I guess like $ 100 to Bill Gates. There are enough reasons to be for / against the war but money will not be one of them.

The main premise of your link is part of the big lie. If I have two slices of pizza it does not mean you don't get any. The economy as with wealth is not a zero sum game - it is created.

In other words, we don't NOT have 4,000 Newton North High Schools because of the war but because of our domestic policy.

[LorDiego01]

Understand the thinking but $ 611 Billion to the US is I guess like $ 100 to Bill Gates. There are enough reasons to be for / against the war but money will not be one of them.

I read some speculations that the war will cost the average family in the US around $20,000K.

Yes, money can certainly be one of the reasons. Especially when put in perspective, like this article does.

I'd take my 20 grand over so called "democracy" in Iraq any day of the week.

[phillyd2]

Yeah ok but that's not how life works. I too would like my $ 20K from things the gov't spends on that I don't agree with but its not going to happen - and that's not a bad thing otherwise we would have anarchy. Its bad enough already.

[LorDiego01]

The economy as with wealth is not a zero sum game - it is created.

I totally agree that wealth is infinite, those who believe the pie is finite are commonly called socialists.

However, there are different things you could do with said crated wealth.

[MarcS]

when you consider long term costs such as replacing worn or destroyed military equipment, paying interest on the debt used to finance the war and providing lifetime care for disabled veterans....$2 trillion easily, and that's if we end soon.

What's $20,000 when every cent you've saved has halved in buying power over the last 6 years?

[phillyd2]

LR = You speak the truth there brother!

[phillyd2]

when you consider long term costs such as replacing worn or destroyed military equipment, paying interest on the debt used to finance the war and providing lifetime care for disabled veterans....$2 trillion easily, and that's if we end soon.

Cost of doing business for the Empire. Don't worry they will not run out of bullets or money only will.

[MarcS]

Cost of doing business for the Empire. Don't worry they will not run out of bullets or money only will.

of course we won't run out of money, we'll only make it worthless

[pghplr]

It probably won't be $611 billion once we start getting some of this cash back to offset it!
Makes me sick reading shit like this. With all the money on this war, all the misappropriated funds that you know are lining someones pocket, this government has the nerve to want this money back!






Wounded Soldier: Military Wants Part Of Bonus Back
Reporting
Marty Griffin PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The U.S. Military is demanding that thousands of wounded service personnel give back signing bonuses because they are unable to serve out their commitments.

To get people to sign up, the military gives enlistment bonuses up to $30,000 in some cases.

Now men and women who have lost arms, legs, eyesight, hearing and can no longer serve are being ordered to pay some of that money back.

One of them is Jordan Fox, a young soldier from the South Hills.

He finds solace in the hundreds of boxes he loads onto a truck in Carnegie. In each box is a care package that will be sent to a man or woman serving in Iraq. It was in his name Operation Pittsburgh Pride was started.

Fox was seriously injured when a roadside bomb blew up his vehicle. He was knocked unconscious. His back was injured and lost all vision in his right eye.

A few months later Fox was sent home. His injuries prohibited him from fulfilling three months of his commitment. A few days ago, he received a letter from the military demanding nearly $3,000 of his signing bonus back.

"I tried to do my best and serve my country. I was unfortunately hurt in the process. Now they're telling me they want their money back," he explained.

It's a slap for Fox's mother, Susan Wardezak, who met with President Bush in Pittsburgh last May. He thanked her for starting Operation Pittsburgh Pride which has sent approximately 4,000 care packages.

He then sent her a letter expressing his concern over her son's injuries, so she cannot understand the U.S. Government's apparent lack of concern over injuries to countless U.S. Soldiers and demands that they return their bonuses.

While he's unsure of his future, Fox says he's unwavering in his commitment to his country.

"I'd do it all over again... because I'm proud of the discipline that I learned. I'm proud to have done something for my country," he said.

But Fox feels like he's already given enough. He'll never be able to pursue his dream of being a police officer because of his wounds and he can't believe he's being asked to return part of his $10,000 signing bonus.

KDKA contacted Congressman Jason Altmire on his behalf. He says he has proposed a bill that would guarantee soldiers receive full benefit of bonuses.

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