Was Obama low-balling the cost of war?
June 29, 2011 Foreign Policy
“The staggering figure is nearly four times higher than the U.S. government estimate. Just last week, President Barack Obama pegged the cost over the last decade at $1 trillion.”
In the News
U.S. cost of war at least $3.7 trillion and counting
June 29, 2011 Reuters
“When President Barack Obama cited cost as a reason to bring troops home from Afghanistan, he referred to a $1 trillion price tag for America's wars. Staggering as it is, that figure grossly underestimates the total cost of wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan to the U.S. Treasury and ignores more imposing costs yet to come, according to a study released on Wednesday.”
Price of U.S. wars: $4.4 trillion?
June 29, 2011 Politico
“At a minimum, according to the authors of the study, the final cost for these military engagements will be $3.7 trillion. But the report also points out that their estimates do not include at least $1 trillion more in interest payments and other costs that cannot yet be quantified. Indeed, the report criticized the U.S. Congress and the Pentagon for poor accounting.”
New estimate of U.S. war costs: $4 trillion
June 29, 2011 The Washington Post
“Catherine Lutz, … said the group began its research about a year ago, but that it’s fortunate that the findings are being released in the midst of a major debate about government spending.”
Cost Of Wars In Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan To Reach $3.7 Trillion: Report (VIDEO)
June 29, 2011 The Huffington Post
“ ‘Wars, in a sense, are never over when they're over,’ Catherine Lutz, a Brown University anthropologist, said in the video op-ed. ‘They go on for decades.’”
The true cost of the war on terror: $3.7trillion and counting… and up to 258,000 lives
June 29, 2011 Mail Online
“The study, 'Costs of War'… underlines the extent to which war will continue to stretch the U.S. federal budget and questions what has been gained from the massive investment.”
Costs of War
June 1, 2011 Costs of War
The project has also appeared in national papers in many countries, including Brazil, China, Russia, and Pakistan, among others.