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Cost of the War in Iraq
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"The war in Iraq will ultimately cost U.S. taxpayers not hundreds of billions of dollars, but an astonishing $2 trillion, and perhaps more. There has been very little in the way of public conversation, even in the presidential campaigns, about the consequences of these costs, which are like a cancer inside the American economy." - Bob Herbert, The New York Times 03/04/2008
Everyone agrees that our troops and their families pay the highest price for this war. The cost to taxpayers is also significant. The war has already forced over $490 billion dollars out of taxpayer’s pockets, and if projections of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) are
correct, we are on a trajectory to spend hundreds of billions more on the Iraq War through 2017. During Rep. Allen’s August 2007 meeting in Baghdad, General Petraeus told him that 2017 was the date through which our troops will be needed in order to implement his counterinsurgency strategy.
The Independent Congressional Research Service reports that we are currently spending $10.3 billion a month on the Iraq War. That is a staggering $3,919 of every second of every minute of every hour of every day- real money to Maine families who work hard to pay for fuel, health insurance premiums, college tuition and other everyday expenses that continue to increase.
For the $338 million we spend in Iraq every day, the United States could:
outspoken in his criticism of President Bush’s policy in Iraq, and will continue fighting for a responsible deadline to get our troops home to their families.
Oversight
President Bush and his allies in Congress have been continually blocking congressional oversight of war time contractors, such as Halliburton. Rep. Allen has been leading the effort in Congress to expose and eliminate contractor waste and corruption. Misusing taxpayer dollars is inexcusable, but denying our troops access to basic services, such as safe, sanitary food or clean water, is outrageous.
Commission on Wartime Contracting
To battle this waste and corruption, Rep. Allen, along with Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), introduced legislation that will establish an independent and bi-partisan eight member Commission on Wartime Contracting, as part of the Defense Authorization Act of 2008. This commission will investigate federal agency contracting, logistical support of coalition forces and the performance of security and intelligence efforts. The legislation also reforms the process by which federal agencies award and manage contracts. New provisions will discourage single-award contracts and require transparency for all non-competitive contracts that are awarded.
Press Releases
Articles
Documents and Links
For more information on the cost of the war in Iraq, please visit the links provided below.
Survey:
A recent AP/IPSOS poll asked Americans how the government could help fix problems with the U.S. economy – 68 percent said pulling our troops out of Iraq would help somewhat or a great deal. Do you believe pulling our troops out of Iraq could help fix problems with the U.S. economy? Click here to submit your response.
"The war in Iraq will ultimately cost U.S. taxpayers not hundreds of billions of dollars, but an astonishing $2 trillion, and perhaps more. There has been very little in the way of public conversation, even in the presidential campaigns, about the consequences of these costs, which are like a cancer inside the American economy." - Bob Herbert, The New York Times 03/04/2008
(click here to read the full Op-Ed)
(click here to read a new analysis by Nobel-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and budget expert Linda Bilmes on the cost of the War in Iraq)
Everyone agrees that our troops and their families pay the highest price for this war. The cost to taxpayers is also significant. The war has already forced over $490 billion dollars out of taxpayer’s pockets, and if projections of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) are
 |
| Congressman Allen with General Petraeus during his visit to Baghdad |
The Independent Congressional Research Service reports that we are currently spending $10.3 billion a month on the Iraq War. That is a staggering $3,919 of every second of every minute of every hour of every day- real money to Maine families who work hard to pay for fuel, health insurance premiums, college tuition and other everyday expenses that continue to increase.
For the $338 million we spend in Iraq every day, the United States could:
- Provide 270,000 more children with health care coverage for a year
- Provide for 1,700 additional border patrol agents for a year
- Provide health care to 50,000 additional veterans for a year
- Fund more than 900 additional National Institutes of Health research grants to study deadly and debilitating diseases
- Send over 50,000 soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen to a public university for a year
- Enroll nearly 46,000 more children in Head Start for a year
- Help nearly 800,000 families keep their heat on this winter through the LIHEAP program
- Construct about 40 Child Development Centers on military installations
 |
| Congressman Allen with US troops during his August visit to the Middle East |
Oversight
President Bush and his allies in Congress have been continually blocking congressional oversight of war time contractors, such as Halliburton. Rep. Allen has been leading the effort in Congress to expose and eliminate contractor waste and corruption. Misusing taxpayer dollars is inexcusable, but denying our troops access to basic services, such as safe, sanitary food or clean water, is outrageous.
Commission on Wartime Contracting
To battle this waste and corruption, Rep. Allen, along with Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), introduced legislation that will establish an independent and bi-partisan eight member Commission on Wartime Contracting, as part of the Defense Authorization Act of 2008. This commission will investigate federal agency contracting, logistical support of coalition forces and the performance of security and intelligence efforts. The legislation also reforms the process by which federal agencies award and manage contracts. New provisions will discourage single-award contracts and require transparency for all non-competitive contracts that are awarded.
Press Releases
Articles
Documents and Links
For more information on the cost of the war in Iraq, please visit the links provided below.
- The Congressional Budget Office reports and testimony on the estimated costs of the War
- To read about the waste and fraud uncovered by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction (SIGIR), I encourage you to visit http://www.sigir.mil/
Survey:
A recent AP/IPSOS poll asked Americans how the government could help fix problems with the U.S. economy – 68 percent said pulling our troops out of Iraq would help somewhat or a great deal. Do you believe pulling our troops out of Iraq could help fix problems with the U.S. economy? Click here to submit your response.
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