$1 Trillion

In times when the economy is falling apart and many have too little to spread around or even to put food on the table, news of the cost of Bush's mismanaged war on terror will soon cost $1 Trillion. Even the failed Wall Street Bailout was less costly than this failed effort which has destroyed two nations, left thousands dead (including more than 4000 Americans), and forced uncounted hundreds of thousands to flee their native countries.

The war on terror looks set to surpass the cost the Korean and Vietnam wars combined, to be topped only by World War II's price

Sifting through Pentagon data, the CSBA [Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments] study breaks down the total cost for the war on terror as $687 billion for Iraq, $184 billion for Afghanistan, and $33 billion for homeland security.

On the safe assumption that the wars are being waged with borrowed money, interest payments raise the cost by an additional $600 billion through 2018.

On the other hand some reliable estimates put the cost of single-payer universal health care as the far less $350 Billion. Our nation's priorities are far out of perspective these days.

Peace.