Costs of Major U.S. Wars

Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs found that an average American taxpayer spends USD23,386 on post 9/11 wars. By end fiscal 2018, the overall U.S. spending on wars in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan could reach USD5.6 trillion. Even if the U.S. stopped spending on wars now, the cumulative interest cost could add more than USD7.9 trillion to the U.S. national debt (of USD21 trillion).

The table below shows estimates of U.S. war costs (excluding Syria) in 2011 prices and from World War 1:

	USD (billion in constant FY2011)
World War 1	334
World War 2	4,104
Korea	341
Vietnam	738
Persian Gulf	102
Iraq	784
Afghanistan (up to 2011)	321

“Imagine” (as John Lennon says), if the same amount is used for hospitals, schools, industry, research, innovation and poverty eradication we will have a better world. But some wars are justified – if it is against Nazi Germany or Imperial Japan or a demagogue who massacres innocent people. Then who determines justification? Surely not one nation, as Iraq has proven to be!

Reference

1. U.S. Spend $5.6 Trillion on Wars Since 9/11, More Than Three Times What Pentagon Estimates, Paul Ratner (November 10, 2017)

2. Cost of Major U.S. Wars, Stephen Daggett (June 29, 2010)