# $5.9 billion per month **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 17, 2006, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946 "2006-02-17T14:50:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/1 "2006-02-17T14:50:21Z")
[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/16/AR2006021602016.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/16/AR2006021602016.html) > [@](#): > > The cost for the wars this year will be about $111 billion, up from about $100 billion last year, White House and Pentagon officials said in a conference call with reporters. > > Iraq operations are costing an average of $5.9 billion per month, and Afghanistan an average of $900 million, they said, attributing the higher costs partly to higher fuel prices. > > Republicans said they would move quickly on the request, while Democrats said the mounting price tag reflected the administration’s bungling of the Iraq conflict. I have nothing new to pit. I can compose no rapier wit. But post I must. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/2 "2006-02-17T15:01:03Z")
If I dared, I’d calculate how much this was costing me personally. But to me the point is this – the opportunity cost of this war is just staggering. The chances of Iraq having a stable democracy in the near term are about nil, and yet we’re going to continue to pour money in, with no certainty about the results. Whereas, we know, with absolute certainty, that if the money had been spent on vaccinations, AIDS drugs, antimalaria research, etc., that tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of lives could have been saved. (Unfortunately, we also know, again with absolute certainty, that if Bush had gone to Congress and asked for a trillion dollars to fight disease in the Third World, he’d have been laughed at and excoriated from coast to coast.) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/3 "2006-02-17T15:06:22Z")
> [@Sal Ammoniac](#): > > If I dared, I’d calculate how much this was costing me personally. Very rough math, about $300 per year. Hey, isn’t that the amount that the government gave you back of your own tax money as a sort of gift? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/4 "2006-02-17T15:09:09Z")
If I paid taxes, I would be outraged. ---
**Author:** ![mrrealtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mrrealtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrrealtime)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/5 "2006-02-17T15:14:33Z")
Americans between the ages of 15-64 according to CIA Factbook : 197.9 million Monthly fee for war: 5.9 Billion Cost per tax payer: $29.81 per month… Its like a cable bill! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/6 "2006-02-17T15:17:09Z")
> [@mrrealtime](#): > > Cost per tax payer: $29.81 per month… > > Its like a cable bill! Please share with the class how you get cable for only $29.81. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/7 "2006-02-17T15:25:55Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Please share with the class how you get cable for only $29.81. I can’t speak for **mrrealtime** but… [http://www.fairburnutilities.org/internetpricing.htm](http://www.fairburnutilities.org/internetpricing.htm) Even better, everything except natural gas comes on my Fairburn Utilities bill. Water, sewer, garbage, electric, internet. The downside is no online billpay. I have to remember to put something in snailmail (ha!) or I have to remember to drive around the corner to the little drive-through window/night drop box. Which is also laughable, but I manage to remember…most of the time. ---
**Author:** ![mrrealtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@mrrealtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrrealtime)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/8 "2006-02-17T15:27:35Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Please share with the class how you get cable for only $29.81. oops…I was in my wayyback machine when I typed that. I guess theres not much you can buy these days for $30 per month. Its certainly less than gas tax. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/9 "2006-02-17T15:28:48Z")
This is something that has pissed me off as much as anything else with this war. Republicans are supposedly fiscally conservative, not wasting our money on silly governmental programs. This useless war that isn’t protecting jack shit is costing more than any Democrat feel good program, and doesn’t make anyone feel good except the Defense industry. Thanks for throwing away so much of my money. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/10 "2006-02-17T15:33:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Democrats said the mounting price tag reflected the administration’s bungling of the Iraq conflict. Well, of course they would. Does anyone really expect them to say anything different? Waging war against terrorism: $5.9 billion a month Not having any more jets fly into skyscrapers: priceless ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/11 "2006-02-17T15:37:17Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Well, of course they would. Does anyone really expect them to say anything different? > Waging war against terrorism: $5.9 billion a month > > Not having any more jets fly into skyscrapers: priceless How many of the terrorists you are talking about came from Iraq? Dumbass. ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/12 "2006-02-17T15:49:54Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Waging war against terrorism: $5.9 billion a month > > Not having any more jets fly into skyscrapers: priceless 43 minutes to connect the war with 9/11. You’re slipping. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/13 "2006-02-17T15:58:33Z")
Here’s the good part, though - they aren’t actually _collecting_ the taxes they need to pay for the war! You’re not paying $29.81 a month for it - your children and grandchildren are paying about $70 a month for it! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/14 "2006-02-17T16:04:30Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Well, of course they would. Does anyone really expect them to say anything different? > Waging war against terrorism: $5.9 billion a month > > Not having any more jets fly into skyscrapers: priceless Creating an entire nation of people who want us dead, and turning the place into a giant terrorist training camp, _and_ convincing the world that we _deserve_ to have our buildings smashed by planes is supposed to _decrease_ terrorism ? Suuuuure. ---
**Author:** ![Mayo\_Speaks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mayo\_Speaks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mayo_Speaks)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/15 "2006-02-17T16:06:25Z")
You’re taking the money out of proportion. Of course $111 billion dollars per year SOUNDS like a lot of money. But that’s barely $200 thousand per MINUTE. Just keep that in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/16 "2006-02-17T16:09:55Z")
YES PLEASE!!! Disclaimer: Have only read thread title ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/17 "2006-02-17T16:13:51Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > Republicans are supposedly fiscally conservative, not wasting our money on silly governmental programs. They’re so cute when they’re little, aren’t they? Sometimes I think it’s a shame that they have to grow up. 😉 Stranger Pssst! Santa Claus is just a myth, too. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/18 "2006-02-17T16:21:37Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > If I paid taxes, I would be outraged. I agree. If I paid taxes this year, I would understand your outrage. But I have to live off, and build/fight with those taxes. So please, just keep paying them. I’d hate to run out of beans and bullets while I’m over here. Most of you may or may not agree with the initial reasons to invade (whatever they may be), but the fact of the matter is that _we’re here_, and we have to clean up. If it’s costing $5.9 billion a month to manage the cleanup efforts in a somewhat planned fashion, it’s well worth it. Consider the problems we would have had if we had pulled out two months after toppling Hussein and left a power vaccum. We would have been spending about as much on the US and UK in cleanup after whatever forces evolved in that vaccum decided to bring it’s own havoc to us. We’re involved, and this is the price of the aftermath. Don’t hate the cost of cleaning up after the storm, hate the hurricane. Tripler And that’s my $0.02 to the monthly bill. ---
**Author:** ![Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b782af/32.png) [@Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grey)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/19 "2006-02-17T16:33:46Z")
Anyone know how much of that bill would’ve been paid out anyway through salary, equipment maintenance, procurement etc.? The US Department of Defence has budget of about $400 billion for 2006. ---
**Author:** ![usar\_jag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f0a364/32.png) [@usar\_jag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usar_jag)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2006, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946/20 "2006-02-17T16:44:12Z")
While the cost of the war is outrageous, it’s roughly only 4% of the FY07 budget, if that’s any indication of how massively large our government is… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/5-9-billion-per-month/344946.md?page=2)