Iraq War--It Doesn't Add Up

From American's United for Change

The cost of the war in Iraq in numbers that add up:

· U.S. troops killed: 4,034 [Associated Press, 4/14/08]

· U.S. troops wounded: 29,676 [Defense Department, 4/8/08]

· U.S. troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since September 2001: Nearly 1.7 million [Defense Department, 2/29/08]

· U.S. troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan more than once: More than 599,000 [Defense Department, 2/29/08]

· U.S. servicemembers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan who have children: 782,000 [Defense Department, 2/29/08]


. Percentage of these troops who have been deployed more than once: 40
[Defense Department, 2/29/08]

· Percent of current and former military officers who believe the Iraq war has “stretched the U.S. military dangerously thin:” 88% [Foreign Policy/Center for New American Security, 2/19/08]

. Percent of these officers who say the U.S. military is weaker than it was five years ago: 60% [Foreign Policy/Center for New American Security, 2/19/08]

· Percent of U.S. troops that have served in Iraq or Afghanistan at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (P.T.S.D.): 20% [USA Today, 3/6/08]

· Amount the United States is spending on the war in Iraq every month: $10.3 billion [Congressional Research Service, 2/22/08]


THE COST OF IRAQ WAR BROKEN DOWN

Second: $3,919

Minute: $235,160

Hour: $14.1 million

Day: $338.6 million

Week: $2.4 billion

Month: $10.3 billion

Year: $123.6 billion

[Congressional Research Service, 2/22/08]


According to the Congressional Research Service, we are spending $10.3 billion a month on the war in Iraq, which translates into $339 million a day. Every day that we are spending millions in Iraq means missed opportunities to invest in critical priorities here at home.

For the $339 million we spend in Iraq every day:

· 2,060 more Border Patrol agents could be hired to protect our borders for a year.

· 18,000 more students could receive Pell Grants to help them attend college for a year.

· 48,000 homeless veterans could be provided with a place to live for a year.

· 317,000 more kids could receive every recommended vaccination for a year.

· 955,000 families could get help with their energy bills through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for a year.

· Nearly 480,000 women, infants and children could receive nutritional help with the WIC program for a year.

· 2.6 million Americans without adequate health insurance could have access to medical and dental care at community health centers for a year.

· More than 100 local communities could make improvements to their drinking water with help from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for a year.

· 937 additional National Institutes of Health grants for research into diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer and diabetes could be provided for a year.

Source: House Appropriations Committee