Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs
Costs of War

Summary

  • Over 940,000 people have died in the post-9/11 wars due to direct war violence.
  • An estimated 3.6-3.8 million people have died indirectly in post-9/11 war zones, bringing the total death toll to at least 4.5-4.7 million and counting.
  • Over 432,000 civilians have been killed as a result of the fighting.
  • 38 million — the number of war refugees and displaced persons.
  • The U.S. federal price tag for the post-9/11 wars is over $8 trillion.
  • The U.S. government is conducting counterterror activities in 85 countries.
  • At least four times as many active duty personnel and war veterans of post-9/11 conflicts have died of suicide than in combat.
  • The wars have been accompanied by violations of human rights and civil liberties, in the U.S. and abroad.

Read All Findings

CONTRIBUTE to costs of war

Shedding light on the costs of the U.S. post-9/11 wars.

Stay Informed

Join the Costs of War project mailing list for our latest findings.

Overview

The Costs of War project