# Tragic Figures of History: Men  Who Could Have Averted Disaster (Had They Been Listened to)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tragic-figures-of-history-men-who-could-have-averted-disaster-had-they-been-listened-to/553538>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [September 12, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tragic-figures-of-history-men-who-could-have-averted-disaster-had-they-been-listened-to/553538 "2010-09-12T20:35:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![user\_hostile](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/user_hostile/32/474_2.png) [@user\_hostile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/user_hostile)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tragic-figures-of-history-men-who-could-have-averted-disaster-had-they-been-listened-to/553538/21 "2010-09-21T17:42:34Z")

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> [@casdave](#):
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > Rebuilding Iraq will only cost $1.7 billion.
> 
> **Johnny** I can only assume you are trying to woosh me with that quote from 2003.
> 
> Here is one from 2005
> 
> [http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11495.htm](http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11495.htm)
> 
> rather larger figures than yours. If you want to talk of rebuilding Iraq, you must also take into account the cost of knocking it down in the first place.
> 
> Here’s a fun little site
> 
> [http://costofwar.com/](http://costofwar.com/)  
> [http://costofwar.com/aboutcounter.html](http://costofwar.com/aboutcounter.html)
> 
> not that I would consider it an authorative source, but amusing all the same.
> 
> This is a bit more reputable
> 
> [BBC NEWS | Business | Rebuilding Iraq 'will cost $55bn'](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3160800.stm)
> 
> We could go on, but I am going to assume this was a woosh attempt on your part.

I didn’t see it as a woosh. I watched one of the Sunday political shows (ABC?) in 2003, and distinctly remembered hearing a Bush flunky gave an estimate that the total cost of the war to the US would be around three billion (however, the above cite by **Johnny LA** is superior to my memory.). Iraq oil would be used to offset the cost (which seemed horribly amoral–why should the Iraqis pay for a war we started?). I think this estimate occurred before the war started.

The segment was surreal. Instead of giving out a non-answer, or low-balling the cost of with a range of numbers, the guy gave out this hard number that no believed. Was the guy being sincere, but misinformed, or lying through his teeth? Per Colin Powell’s experiences, you can never be sure.

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**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tragic-figures-of-history-men-who-could-have-averted-disaster-had-they-been-listened-to/553538/22 "2010-09-21T18:04:26Z")

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[quote=“rowrrbazzle, post:12, topic:553538”]

> [@ralph124c](#):
>
> Clinton had TWO opportunities where bin Laden would practically be delivered into his hands. And he rejected them. He had 6+ YEARS after the first WTC bombing to DO something. With the ultimate result of…well, you know.
> 
> And you blame BUSH because Clinton was PLANNING something at the end of his term?

I think there is a marked difference between foot-dragging action against a known enemy verses deliberately going to war against someone who [del]is[/del] was of no threat to America.

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