The Cost Of War: $136 Billion In 2009

Defense Secretary Puts Price Tag On Fighting In Iraq And Afghanistan

(AP)  Defense Secretary Robert Gates says military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan would cost almost $136 billion for the 2009 budget year that began Oct. 1 if they continue at their current pace.

Speaking for neither his current boss, President George W. Bush - nor his future one, President-elect Barack Obama - Gates told top lawmakers in a New Year's Eve letter that the Pentagon would need nearly $70 billion more to supplement the $66 billion approved last year.

"This estimate is my personal assessment and does not reflect the position of the Bush administration or the incoming Obama administration," Gates said.

The estimate would cover Pentagon operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as other elements of the global war on terror. An official request for war funding is coming after a review by the Obama administration, Gates said.

In the letter, sent to the chairmen of the House and Senate panels overseeing the war, Gates said that Congress should expect that the Obama administration "will conduct a fresh review of these matters and provide an updated and more authoritative proposal early next year."

Gates also said the estimate doesn't account for a proposed increase in the tempo of operations in Afghanistan.

Congress provided about $188 billion for the global war on terror in the 2008, according to the Congressional Research Service, as a surge in Iraq operations helped bring greater stability to the troubled nation. Obama has promised to bring down war costs as he works to remove most U.S. combat troops.

All told, CRS says, Congress has approved $864 billion for the overseas wars and other programs related to the battle against terrorism since Sept. 11, 2001. Such funding includes military operations, base security, reconstruction, foreign aid, embassy costs and veterans' health care.

[tincup356]

Lot of craziness posted tonight and a lot of wishful thinking.

In fact, the two wars will be less than 10% of the total government budget for the next year and it is declining.

No one is going to the Hague. Obama will not do anything for fear it will be done to him when his time is up. The Democrats were written off about 7 times since the Civil War and the Republicans have been written off about the same number. The Democrats will eventually overreach and the pendulum will swing again.

The only thing for sure is that power corrupts.

Posted by donbl1 at 06:20 PM : Jan 07, 2009 ,,,,,,,,, they better start worrying ,,,Right now Both parties are getting in real deep with personal gain,,,,,while doing nothing about the situation that they said they needed the money for in the first place,,,,to stop home foreclosures that are killing the middle class.....then they changed their minds and gave it to the banks and anyone who wanted to be declared a bank just to get big bucks......When all the smoke clears if EITHER party survives it will be a miracle.....Because there is one little factor they have overlooked.....as the numbers grow of middle class citizens losing all they have and becoming street people,,,,,,,they will eventually march on Washington and it will get ugly...it''s just a matter of time.

[clancy49]

If you think this war is a waste of money, don''t worry, it is going into the Bush bank accounts. If you want to know about something worse? The NSA and DHS spends more than 350 billion a year for spying on US citizens and other parts of the world. The DHS is asking for even more money and spending more money. Where could this money really be going? Like education, health, and welfare? Ask the plantation owner if they want to spend money on their slaves? Slavery is not dead in America. We are all Economic Slaves.

[rudy6543]

Yet there are those who believe the war brings prosperity.

[cariboubarbi]

Wonder what else we could have spent all this money on?

Thanks Bushies!

[tincup356]

whats criminal is that bush and daddy sit on the board of Carlyle group,,,,,and has profited 6 billion providing security for pentagon operation...like blackwater in Iraq. Bush,Cheney,and Rumsfield are all guilty of war crimes,,,,If 911 were re investigated they would probably be charged with murder....All three and Both parties of congress need to be brought up on charges of treason,,,,as they are pulling off the biggest heist in world history,,,and giving us the bill.....as they handsomely pay back lobby dollar favors.

[ms1-1-1]

- year to date the figures follow:

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home

[babooph]

As they always lie[govt. & their media lackeys] ,triple that for a more accurate figure.

[greeneyes222]

So the war was expensive, but the banks were moreso. That should put the criminal behavior of the banks into perspective.

[donbl1]

Lot of craziness posted tonight and a lot of wishful thinking.

In fact, the two wars will be less than 10% of the total government budget for the next year and it is declining.

No one is going to the Hague. Obama will not do anything for fear it will be done to him when his time is up. The Democrats were written off about 7 times since the Civil War and the Republicans have been written off about the same number. The Democrats will eventually overreach and the pendulum will swing again.

The only thing for sure is that power corrupts.

[windmaster12]

Bush Cheney Rumsfeld
To The Hague

For Crimes against humanity
Dereliction of duty
High Crimes and Misdemeanors

The War for Profit Gov''t.

Has anyone seen those WMD''s yet?

[texasbeta]

demswin08 - AH, that makes a little more sense. Oddly, I have had this same conversation (if you want to call it that) with Rowdy several times before. AND, you are correct.

[ramos937]

I do respect SecDef Gates but if he says $136 billion for 2009, then it is easily $272 Billion. Easily $180 billion of this $272 billion is due to Iraq. If we just get out, we do not spend that much there. Notice, I said spend and not save. That is because every penny of these amounts is borrowed funds.

[saraplumber]

Get a freaking clue! How much was actually PUT IN to social security that year and then borrowed back out!

And the borrowed back out part never GOT TO THE LOWER 5% of the population!

Posted by TexHillGirl at 03:17 PM : Jan 07, 2009
--------------
Who said anything about the lower 5% of the population?

I can''t do this anymore. You really are a moron. You''re disagreeing with the source that you posted, in essence arguing with yourself. What time is Wapner on?

[texasbeta]

HILL GIRL - you still haven''t supported 1 statement that you have made with anything...yet, everyone has asked you to. You still going?

[texasbeta]

texasbeta - you are an ignorant TROLL and your unintelligent words serve no purpose here. Move out Hatriot


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Posted by MindURownBiz

I have a Bachelor''s and Masters in History, with a minor in political science. I have worked on the presidential candidacies of Phil Gramm, Alexander, and now Obama. I was the president of the SMU college republicans, invited to 2 Lincoln Day dinners, and have had several chats with former house majority leader *** Armey. I am very liberal now days...but tell me MindURownBIZ...I have skins on the wall to actually discuss these topics with an educated background IN THE SUBJECT MATTER. YOU, on the other hand...call people TROLLS like a 4 yr old. You have nothing to say to me

[saraplumber]

Posted by TexHillGirl at 03:05 PM : Jan 07, 2009
-------------------------

The article you posted stated Social Security BENEFITS for those in the poorest fifth of the population totaled $100 billion in 2005, not money taken from the SS fund. And the cost of EDUCATING the children of low-income families cost $105 billion more. If you don''t agree with these statements, why did you post an article containing them? And the $78 billion in PRIVATE charity. This is an obvious attempt by the author to inflate his figures.

[texasbeta]

I mean, c''''mon people, how many stupid unwed pregnant teenagers is my tax dollars upposed to SUPPORT?

How long are you willing to let pregnant teenagers with babies from four irresponsible fathers suck off your largesse?

First of all - were you one of those? The proper grammar would be, "I mean, c''''mon people, how many stupid unwed pregnant teenagers ARE my tax dollars upposed to SUPPORT?

When you are talking in the plural, you must use ARE rather than IS. "IS" in this case, is singular. Secondly, in answer to your question....very very little of your tax money is spent on such things. How much is given to Bush cronies...now there is a #

[armydog2]

the article is about the cost of a war we were lied to about and not only the finanacial cost which is just money the more important cost was the loss of lives. Money can be replaced the men and women who died because of bush and his f#cking lies can never be replaced.

[saraplumber]

Well, let''''s look at it...

Yeah, social security was a part of the war on poverty, yes it was...read your history the trouble is that the government has had to borrow from it to provide more entitlements...

Let''''s look at your public education...which is TOTALLY support by local tax dollars and regulated by local authority and regulation...hardly a federal dollars goes into it, only the Head Start program...

Please inform me what PRIVATE CHARATIES get federal government money?

Posted by TexHillGirl at 02:53 PM : Jan 07, 2009
-----------
You know this is a lot like the whole "construction companies own all mortgages" and the "401K investments are FDIC insured" discussions. You don''t know what you''re talking about, and when people challenge your "facts," you come up with more ridiculous arguments. It''s like arguing with Rain Man.

[displeased]

And not borrow from it, so the dumpocraps can institute welfare program that buys them more of the dumb and dumber vote!
Posted by TexHillGirl

You act as if democrats are the only ones that borrow. How do you think we went from a surplus to a trillion dollar debt in just 8 years? It certainly wasn''t from domestic programs or infrastructure, which is what we need to focus on.