The Cost Of A U.S. War On Iraq

WAND. Posted January 16, 2003.

War With Iraq: Costs, Consequences, And Alternatives

From The American Academy of Arts and Sciences


This Dec. 2 report finds that the political, military, and economic consequences of war with Iraq could be extremely costly to the U.S. William D. Nordhaus (Yale) estimates the economic costs of war with Iraq in scenarios both favorable and unfavorable to the U.S. Steven E. Miller (Harvard) considers a number of poten- tially disastrous military and strategic outcomes of war for the U.S. that have received scant public attention. Carl Kaysen (MIT), John D. Steinbruner (Univ. of Maryland),and Martin B. Malin (American Academy) examine the broader national security strategy behind the move toward a preventive war against Iraq.

To order a copy of the report e-mail www@amacad.org.

A Cheaper War? The Administration's New, Lower Estimate

Mitchell Daniels, director of the Office of Management and Budget, said on Dec.30 that war with Iraq would cost between $50 billion and $60 billion, comparable to the cost of the 1991 Persian Gulf War, and well below the $100 billion to $200 billion estimate from former chief economic adviser Lawrence Lindsey. Mr. Daniels declined to explain how budget officials had reached the new, lower range.

The cost of war with Iraq will not be included in the fiscal year 2004 budget, which will be presented by the administration in February, nor was it included in the current fiscal year 2003 budget. It would be appropriated as emergency spending by Congress.

Source: White House Cuts Estimate of Cost of War With Iraq The New York Times, 12/31/02, By Elisabeth Bumiller For full article: membership@wand.org.

Liked this story? Get top stories in your inbox each week from Labor Against the War! Sign up now »