Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs
Costs of War

U.S. spending on Israel’s military operations and related U.S operations in the region: at least $22.76 billion and counting

U.S. spending on Israel’s military operations and related U.S operations in the region total at least $22.76 billion and counting. This estimate is conservative; while it includes approved security assistance funding since October 7, 2023, supplemental funding for regional operations, and an estimated additional cost of operations, it does not include any other economic costs.

Sexual Assault in U.S. Military Post-9/11: 24% Women, 1.9% Men

Sexual assault prevalence in the military is likely two to four times higher than official DoD estimations. The prioritization of force readiness above all else during the post-9/11 wars allowed the problem of sexual assault to fester, papering over internal violence and gender inequalities within U.S. military institutions. On average, over the course of the war in Afghanistan (2001-2021) 24 percent of active-duty women and 1.9 percent of active-duty men experienced sexual assault. Experiences of gender inequality are most pronounced for women of color, who experience intersecting forms of racism and sexism and are one of the fastest-growing populations within the military. Independent data also confirm queer and trans service members’ disproportionately greater risk for sexual assault. 

Human Toll of Post-9/11 Wars: 905,000 - 940,000 Direct Deaths

The number of people killed directly in the violence of the wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere are approximated here. Several times as many civilians have died due to the reverberating effects of these wars. The methods of accounting are described in this paper.

Human Toll Including Indirect Deaths of Post-9/11 Wars: 4.5-4.7 Million

The number of people killed indirectly in post-9/11 war zones, including in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, are estimated at 3.6-3.8 million, though the precise figure remains unknown. This brings the estimated total of direct and indirect deaths to 4.5-4.7 million. The methods of accounting and various casual pathways leading to indirect deaths are described in this paper.

U.S. Costs of War in Afghanistan and Iraq/Syria

The U.S. budgetary costs of the war in Afghanistan from FY2001-FY2022 totaled over 2.3 trillion dollars. The estimated U.S. budgetary costs of the wars in Iraq and Syria from FY2003-FY2022 totaled 2.9 trillion dollars. These make up a part of the larger eight trillion dollars of U.S. post-9/11 war spending.

U.S. Budgetary Costs of Post-9/11 Wars: $8 Trillion

The vast economic impact of the post-9/11 wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere is poorly understood by the U.S. public and policymakers. This paper estimates the budgetary costs of war, including past expenditures and future obligations to care for veterans of these wars.

Geographic Reach of U.S. Counterterrorism in Post-9/11 Wars: 78 Countries

From 2021 to 2023, the U.S. government undertook what it labeled “counterterrorism” activities in 78 countries, in an outgrowth of President George W. Bush's “Global War on Terror.” This map displays air/drone strikes, on-the-ground combat, “Section 127e” programs, military exercises, and operations to train and/or assist foreign forces.

Afghanistan before and after 20 years of war (2001-2021)

Examining data before the U.S. war in Afghanistan and after the U.S. withdrawal, this infographic displays indicators of poverty, food insecurity, child malnutrition, women's rights, U.S. spending, and more.

People Displaced in Post-9/11 Wars: 38 Million

38 million people have been displaced by the post-9/11 wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and the Philippines.