Is the Iraq War a Financial Burden to the USA

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by dbermanmd, Oct 17, 2006.

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  1. dbermanmd

    dbermanmd New Member

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    A simple question.

    Offer your thoughts and the reasons or facts behind them.

    Thanks.
     
    #1 dbermanmd, Oct 17, 2006
  2. pogo

    pogo New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dbermanmd @ Oct 17 2006, 12:06 PM) [snapback]334052[/snapback]</div>
    yes.
     
    #2 pogo, Oct 17, 2006
  3. dbermanmd

    dbermanmd New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pogo @ Oct 17 2006, 03:16 PM) [snapback]334060[/snapback]</div>
    Reasons or facts to support your opinion please.
    Cute nonetheless.
     
    #3 dbermanmd, Oct 17, 2006
  4. dragonfly

    dragonfly New Member

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    Why don't you give us your opinion first?
     
    #4 dragonfly, Oct 17, 2006
  5. jared2

    jared2 New Member

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    It is a financial burden to US taxpayers; a bonanza to oil companies, military contactors, security firms, wall street financiers who arrange bond sales to China and Japan, together with their lobbyists and bought off politicians.

    For evidence, examine how the profits of these companies have soared while the US debt has grown to a brobdinagian size.
     
    #5 jared2, Oct 17, 2006
  6. dbermanmd

    dbermanmd New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dragonfly @ Oct 17 2006, 03:21 PM) [snapback]334062[/snapback]</div>
    Not yet, I will. But I want to see other peoples OPINIONS or better yet FACT BASED thoughts first. I keep getting this yelled in my ears or eyes - "the war in Iraq has cost us over [pick a number out of the hat like $500 Billion] and is hurting our economy or draining our economy --- almost like a separate argument to get out of Iraq. So I am putting my toe in the water to see what people think, knowing there are sufficient people here who are "anti-Iraq War" to hopefully prove it a valid argument or point.

    If you are up to the task - go for it.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Oct 17 2006, 03:32 PM) [snapback]334067[/snapback]</div>
    please no rhetoric - present facts for your statements. Do not forget these "companies" tend to make profits with or without wars - hence their existance.
     
    #6 dbermanmd, Oct 17, 2006
  7. dragonfly

    dragonfly New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dbermanmd @ Oct 17 2006, 02:33 PM) [snapback]334068[/snapback]</div>
    Well if that's what they are saying, they are wrong. So far it has cost only (ha ha) $300-some billion. However, it is projected to cost $1 or 2 trillion when it's all over with. And so far, we can't see the financial impact, since Bush just keeps borrowing the money. It will hurt us deeply, however, when we get a Democrat or a true Republican back in office who is willing to do what it takes to get the budget balanced again.

    It's kind of like putting more and more money on a credit card, and the bank hasn't come around yet to claim the debt.

    So, the answer to the question is "yes". The enormous deficit is a huge financial burdon. We just don't feel it yet.

    Your turn.
     
    #7 dragonfly, Oct 17, 2006
  8. dbermanmd

    dbermanmd New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dragonfly @ Oct 17 2006, 03:38 PM) [snapback]334072[/snapback]</div>
    Who is they? And your figure of $300 Billion - does that include soldiers wages, material, construction projects, etc? Who is projecting the total costs? And what is the offset of Iraq selling its oil on the open market?

    And the President does not borrow the money - Congress spends and borrows. How did the budget deficit hurt us in the past, and why would it hurt us in the future - consider that money is being spent on keeping Americans in jobs, buying American goods and services, generates tax money, etc?

    And the budget defict continues to narrow over the past five years and now occupies a very small % of our GDP - so how is it that bad for us? It is not an enormous deficit when you consider the current size of the Federal budget and our gdp - unless you get trapped in a simple numbers game.

    You still did not answer the question - is the Iraq War a burden on the USA and if so HOW??
     
    #8 dbermanmd, Oct 17, 2006
  9. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    Yes and no.

    Financial matters are subjective to different points of views, perspectives.
     
    #9 Mystery Squid, Oct 17, 2006
  10. dbermanmd

    dbermanmd New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Oct 17 2006, 04:03 PM) [snapback]334099[/snapback]</div>
    Spare me please - dont pull a Kerry on me :D

    Yes or No? I would be very interested in your opinion - honestly.

    Thanks
    David
     
    #10 dbermanmd, Oct 17, 2006
  11. pogo

    pogo New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pogo @ Oct 17 2006, 12:16 PM) [snapback]334060[/snapback]</div>
    Well, it is being financed with money we don't have. Best figure I can get is about $350 billion to date. Final cost? I don't have a crystal ball, but some more hundreds of billions. Now, I don't finance things I need, never mind things that I don't. The national debt is up around 45% on the Bush watch at $8.5 trillion, under the Bush "don't tax, but spend anyway" plan. Why add anything you don't really need? If you want to worry about a financial burden, worry about that one. BTW the statutory limit on the debt is currently $9 trillion. Maybe some crack journalist like Bill O'Reilly or Rush Limbaugh can ask the president what his plan is when we hit the limit; raise the limit again, or just let the next guy deal with it?
     
    #11 pogo, Oct 17, 2006
  12. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dbermanmd @ Oct 17 2006, 04:09 PM) [snapback]334103[/snapback]</div>
    No.

    My taxes have not gone up. All things considered, the only thing that has impacted me is fuel prices.
     
    #12 Mystery Squid, Oct 17, 2006
  13. jared2

    jared2 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Oct 17 2006, 04:03 PM) [snapback]334099[/snapback]</div>
    You are right, grasshopper. In the illusion we call life, money is but a manifestation of desire. Unburden yourself; give it to me.
     
    #13 jared2, Oct 17, 2006
  14. Mystery Squid

    Mystery Squid Junior Member

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    ...but, since you asked about burden to the USA: my answer is neither yes or no. Debt, and it's management thereof, fluctuates waaaaay too much. It all depends upon what glasses you put on, and at what point in time...

    ...one more thought: would it really be a burden to the USA if it had/has little or no consquence to taxpayers?
     
    #14 Mystery Squid, Oct 17, 2006
  15. jared2

    jared2 New Member

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    I take visa and mastercard. :p
     
    #15 jared2, Oct 17, 2006
  16. VinceDee

    VinceDee Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dbermanmd @ Oct 17 2006, 12:06 PM) [snapback]334052[/snapback]</div>
    This is an absurd question to begin with.

    Burden: that which is carried; load.
    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/burden

    Since it appears that the war has cost the United States somewhere in the neighborhood of $300 billion dollars, which has not been fully repaid by Iraq, then the question must be answered with a YES. By the very structure of your question the required answer can only be YES. Even if the war only cost the country $1 then it would still be YES.

    You might want to rephrase your question if it was something else you were really after.

    Vince
     
    #16 VinceDee, Oct 17, 2006
  17. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Bush's $2.7 trillion budget shows true cost of Iraq war
    It will be a burden to those affected by any cuts made to direct funds to the war and tax cuts. And it will become a burden to all when we finally start actually paying it off.

    Money is power in this world. When you borrow it, you give the loaner power over you.
    Who is the US giving power too?
     
    #17 Trollbait, Oct 17, 2006
  18. dragonfly

    dragonfly New Member

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    #18 dragonfly, Oct 17, 2006
  19. dmarcus123

    dmarcus123 New Member

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    No, we are financing it by increasing the national debt, so there is no cost to us.
     
    #19 dmarcus123, Oct 17, 2006
  20. dbermanmd

    dbermanmd New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ShellyT @ Oct 17 2006, 07:54 PM) [snapback]334254[/snapback]</div>
    Facts please - show where any cuts have been made in the Federal budget which has grown by over $500BILLION over the past two years while the deficit has continued to shrink.

    And who are we borrowing the money from??

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Dragonfly @ Oct 17 2006, 08:08 PM) [snapback]334260[/snapback]</div>
    Please stick to the topic - is the Iraq War a financial burden to the USA???

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Oct 17 2006, 04:14 PM) [snapback]334112[/snapback]</div>
    Again, is the Iraq War a financial burden for the USA?

    I would bet your taxes have gone down - but I don't know for sure. So if your taxes have gone down, then the Iraw War has been a financial benefit to you :blink:

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jared2 @ Oct 17 2006, 04:16 PM) [snapback]334116[/snapback]</div>
    :lol:

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Oct 17 2006, 04:22 PM) [snapback]334122[/snapback]</div>
    You continue to obfuscate. Is the Iraq War been a financial burden to the USA?

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(VinceDee @ Oct 17 2006, 06:32 PM) [snapback]334217[/snapback]</div>
    I think you have the capacity to answer the question here without much fanfare. You could argue that WWII was a financial burden when you examine the amount of the federal budget, the % of the deficit, the % of the economy that was involved directly and indirectly during its prosecution. Using that as a potential model, do you think the Iraq War is a financial burden to the USA?

    And I am a little lost on your last statement; how could a $1 war be a burden to a country with a $13TRILLION GDP?



    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Davey Bob @ Oct 17 2006, 11:09 PM) [snapback]334279[/snapback]</div>
    But is it a financial burden to the USA?
     
    #20 dbermanmd, Oct 18, 2006
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