America has spent nearly $6T on war since 9/11

[Starkiller]

https://thehill.com/policy/defense/416663-study-us-has-spent-nearly-6t-on-war-since-9-11

 

The United States is on track to have spent nearly $6 trillion on war since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to a report released Wednesday.

 

The annual analysis from the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs at Brown University far exceeds Pentagon estimates because it looks at all war-related costs — including the Pentagon’s war fund, related spending at the State Department, veterans care and interest payments — for military operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

 

“We were told to expect wars that would be quick, cheap, effective and beneficial to the U.S. interest,” study author Neta Crawford said at a Capitol Hill news conference. “Because we finance these wars on a credit card, the costs of the wars themselves pose a national security challenge.”

 

The study estimates that war-related spending through fiscal 2019 will total $4.9 trillion. Another projected $1 trillion for veterans care through fiscal 2059 brings the total to $5.9 trillion, according to the study.

 

Should the wars continue through fiscal 2023, total costs will be more than $6.7 trillion, the study added, citing the Pentagon’s projected future years’ spending and likely needs for veterans.

[IsntLifeFunny]

The world’s biggest arms dealer needs a boogie man like a junkie needs a fix. 

[Starkiller]

Is America better off today for all that money and war?

Edited November 15, 2018 by Starkiller

[IsntLifeFunny]

Just now, Starkiller said:

Is America better of today for all that money and war?

Hell no, and neither is the world. Iran would have its natural buffer is Saddam was still alive. North Africa wouldn’t be nearly as much of a mess if Gaddafi was still alive. Russia wouldn’t have a foothold in the Middle East if we hadn’t of interfered in Syria. Countless millions would still be alive. We would be 16 trillion in debt instead of 22. And we wouldn’t have thousands of US soldiers dead, maimed, or fucked out of their minds. Our foreign policy over the last 18 years has been an absolute disaster. 

[Downtown]

....and it ain’t a partisan issue. Both sides are on the take. One continuous example of how both sides are just trying to keep the public in-line and focused on each other’s domestic enemy (opposing party). 

[Legaltitan]

Just ridiculous. We are destroying and then re building infrastructure in the middle east while our roads and bridges at home are crumbling. 

 

Ask the Soviet union. Or the British Empire. This shit is how superpowers go broke. 

[Starkiller]

16 minutes ago, JakePA_Titan said:

And Obama was supposed to get us out of the Middle East. Failed promise no one on the left likes talking about....

 

Meanwhile, how much terrorism have we had to deal with since Trump took over? Seems like he took a serious bite out of that problem when folks like Obama and Hillary said it couldnt happen....

ISIS was already being swept up by the time Trump got into office. He didn’t change anything.

 

And no one is claiming the Dems weren’t involved in all that war since 9/11. But it was Dubya that got the ball rolling downhill when he decided to invade Iraq instead of focusing on Al Qaeda and Afghanistan.

[Btowner]

1 hour ago, JakePA_Titan said:

And Obama was supposed to get us out of the Middle East. Failed promise no one on the left likes talking about....

 

Meanwhile, how much terrorism have we had to deal with since Trump took over? Seems like he took a serious bite out of that problem when folks like Obama and Hillary said it couldnt happen....

Besides just saying this to make yourself feel good. Tell us the number of troops currently in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan under Obama vs Trump.

[Btowner]

4 minutes ago, JakePA_Titan said:

I know why you want to make that a relevant comparison, or as yall now like to say a "whataboutism", but getting out of Iraq was a major selling point on Obama's campaign trail while Trump didnt sell that nearly as much.

 

However, he did sell putting an end to ISIS. And why didnt you answer my question on ISIS but have the nerve to ask me one?

 

How much has ISIS fucked with us since the removal of Barrack and the presence of Trump? 

Like many things that you fail to grasp. But, don't mind me. Go ahead and feel good about your fake news.

 

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2017/oct/26/donald-trump/trump-takes-full-credit-gains-against-isis/

 

[Btowner]

16 minutes ago, JakePA_Titan said:

Obama did good in that 8 years to bring an end to it. But I guess because Trump abolished ISIS in two years, him not ending an actual war in two is a failure when Obama couldnt in 8. Yalls standards change with the wind. 

You keep saying Trump abolished ISIS. Where are you getting this information? According to the various Pentagon reports, there are still over 20000 ISIS fighters in Syria and Iraq.

 

The Trump admin has ramped up air strikes that have impacted ISIS financially, but to say they are abolished is a Trumpian embellishment. Don't take my word, read the IG report to Congress. It specifically says ISIS is still planting IEDs in Iraq. So, what is your definition of abolished? Read page 3 and 6 of the IG report.

 

https://media.defense.gov/2018/Aug/07/2001951441/-1/-1/1/FY2018_LIG_OCO_OIR3_JUN2018_508.PDF

 

[Starkiller]

1 hour ago, JakePA_Titan said:

How much has ISIS fucked with us since the removal of Barrack and the presence of Trump? 

ISIS never fucked with us. The online branch of ISIS propaganda might have influenced people here but ISIS is based strictly in the Middle East. The only people who did were random people who either said they supported ISIS or ISIS later claimed they did. ISIS itself was strictly limited to the area in Iraq and Syria.

[Btowner]

24 minutes ago, JakePA_Titan said:

And how many have been able to carry out attacks on US soil?

 

I bet not nearly as many as under Obama.

Again. I was referring to attacks in the US. As long as they stay over there and arent carrying out attacks on US soil, idgaf.

Bless your heart. You'll get a hernia moving the goal posts. Have a great day, Jake!

[Justafan]

So now the going theory is that Trump's genius policies are somehow keeping us all safe from terrorism?  What in the world has he done to instill that confidence?

 

Or Obama or Bush or Clinton for that matter.

 

Obama killed Osama, Bush got Saddam and both perpetuated a war that put us in far more danger than it ever prevented.

 

Clinton started his own little stupidity in Kosovo and Bush Sr. was busy getting this whole thing kicked off!

 

 

[Justafan]

8 minutes ago, JakePA_Titan said:

Hopefully you can see the difference there. Or 'more safe' since I know we have some English professors in here. 

I don't. 

 

9 minutes ago, JakePA_Titan said:

So Obama and Bush put us in more danger where terrorist attacks on US soil became a common theme. 

 

Yet those have halted pretty dramatically under Trump. But you dont see what has instilled that confidence?

 

Ok.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2018/08/15/terrorist-attacks-are-quietly-declining-around-world/

Halted dramatically?  (From 1-3 incidents per year down to 1) Terrorist attacks are down all over the world.  I'll ask again, what actions did Donald Trump take to make that happen?  OR are terrorist attacks not the problem we've been led to believe?

 

Yes, Bush and Obama put us in more danger.  So has Trump but in different ways.

14 minutes ago, JakePA_Titan said:

2017. Let me guess, thanks to Obama still?

 

But wait...

Don't know where you got that from.  If Terrorism is down across the board, it probably means Trump doesn't have a damn thing to do with it. 

16 minutes ago, JakePA_Titan said:

So a good deal of this country thinks it's our duty to protect others than cant protect theirselves. Obama seemed to do a great job of doing that. 

A good part of the country feels we have an obligation to clean up the mess that we (Bush and his neo-conservative dip shit buddies) inflicted upon the world.  Nothing more.

 

17 minutes ago, JakePA_Titan said:

d the rise in 2014 has to be because of Trump. I mean, who else could be responsible??

American policies dating back to WW2.  If I had to place the blame on one person or administration it would obviously be Bush's but if your implication is that Obama shares some responsibility in that then sure, of course, he does.

 

Trump can't be held responsible or be given credit for anything because he hasn't done anything.  Troop levels have stayed the same.  He gave Syria to the Russians and the Iraq Army basically took back Iraq with help but that was Obama's solution, not Trumps.  He hasn't ordered any major offensives, he hasn't pulled anyone out, he hasn't changed strategy or even really had one at all.  He's basically ceded his responsibility as Commander-In-Chief to Mattis as far as I can tell (thank god)

 

Afghanistan, the Taliban effectively have control of the entire country except for the few cities and Trump doesn't do anything.

 

Iran, he ended a deal that would have kept the world safer.

 

Korea, he got embarrassed by a third world dictator.

 

He's made Russia look strong and ceded influence to them both in Eastern Europe and the middle east.  Just in case you didn't' know, that's a bad thing.

 

 

[Justafan]

 

 

 

 

1 hour ago, JakePA_Titan said:

Oh. Well, not hard to find out if you really wanted to. 

So down from 3 to 1. So down 33%. Yea, I'd say that's quite the change. But wait, you just said you dont see how it made us safer. Then claim it has indeed dropped from 3 to 1. Lmao. Good one!

 

I'm not quite sure what exactly was done. Maybe it was the travel ban ppl labeled racist. Maybe it was actually being proactive against ISIS as opposed to Obama drawing up a plan and sitting on it for two years. But it does seem to have tapered off from the transition of Obama to Trump.

 

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2018/jan/30/donald-trump/trump-isis-territory-losses-near-100/

 

Funny how they want to credit Obama. "It started in 2014". Then why did attacks increase in 2015 and 2016? And how come they dropped once Trump started making decisions? How funny. They also say the ISIS claimed territory dropped 89% under Trump. So it dropped 11% under Obama from 2014 to 2016. Wow. Way to go Obama!! Much credit my dude. Ok, you drew it up, but was afraid to act on it? Good job?

I would assume you are talking about the shootings such as Parkland and in Pittsburgh?

 

Maybe it's just me, but I find stopping domestic terrorism to be much harder than attacks from foreigners. Especially when the FBI doesnt do their job in following leads like they should. 

Uhmm. I provided the link but you dont know where I got it from? Lol. And yes, Trump has nothing to do with it. But has everything to do with the crazies committing domestic terrorist attacks, right?

 

I'm sure he was also responsible for Columbine, the riots in Watts, LA, Furgeson, Baltimore and so on....

So did that same part of the country think we should have sat back and did nothing about 9/11? Or are those the same ppl that believe it was an inside job?

He shares responsibility in the fact terrorist attacks got worse under him and he did nothing about it while he used the excuse "it's a never ending battle". I find it baffling that as they rose under him, yet have fallen under Trump, that somehow Trump has nothing to do with it. I mean, maybe the travel ban on those countries was strictly in fact a racist act and in no way impacted the decrease in terroristic attacks. 

Right. As ISIS grew under Obama, it continued to grow even more under Trump. Oh wait...

Obama's solution that was put in place in 2014 yet didnt yield ANY results from 2014 to 2016 until 2017...Under who again??

And what's your point exactly? Again, pulling out was one of the biggest topics and promises of Obama's campaign, not Trumps. So Obama gets a pass while Trump is now the bad guy for not pulling them out? Shocker.

He's more focused on our own country. And you just said, Trump shouldn't receive any credit or blame, right? So hes not focusing on something he had nothing to do with which doesnt help America or its citizens. So....bad guy?

 

So you're upset Bush got us into this, not upset with Obama for essentially doing nothing himself in 8 years, back to being upset about Trump although you say he shouldn't be held responsible. I mean, wtf? But yet, it was still Obama's plan that Trump pulled the trigger on, that Obama didnt do in two years. So all credit to Obama. I get it now!

Lol. Maybe he should have just gave them more hush money like Obama. But wait, Trump is a bad guy because he gave dick suckers hush money. But Obama gives terrorists money and he is the good guy. Lmao

Not really. 

Naw. That was the media. Try again. 

 

#believe

I mean when your own article that you linked says 3/4's of the action happened under Obama and Trump basically swooped in right as ISIS was collapsing...  MUST HAVE BEEN THE TRAVEL BAN!

 

Your own arguments don't even make sense.  I mean Columbine?  Referencing 9/11 conspiracies when talking about Syria, Iraq, and ISIS?  Tell me Jake, how many of the 9/11 Hijackers were from Iraq?  Which country was actually assisting Bin Laden?  This whole time I thought we attacked Iraq because they were supposedly building Weapons of Mass Destruction (Nukes) and because they supposedly had terrorist training camps set up to help Al Queda.  Both of those ended up being not true.  

 

You're all over the place, making assumptions arguing with logical fallacies, and without pertinent facts.  The stat about ISIS territory is very misleading.  When did Mosul get retaken?  Why was that important?  These are questions you might want to take a look at to provide a little bit of context to what you're saying.