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Iran War Cost Tracker

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Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#201

Post by krisoft »

mhb wrote: post #152
gravisultra wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is a valid criticism. Whenever there is a push to improve life for US citizens, we are told that we do not have the funds. Yet, here we see an essentially unlimited budget to fight Israel's war of aggression against Iran, with zero benefit to US citizens. In fact, the costs (financial, moral and human) that we will pay for this excursion will be astronomically high.

If budgets are what interest you, maybe consider why Iran spent over $500B developing offensive nuclear weapons. Instead of peaceful pursuits or defenses against its supposed aggressor over 1,000 miles away.

> maybe consider why Iran spent over $500B developing offensive nuclear weapons.

To protect themselves from the exact scenairo happening right now? The reason why Putin is sleeping peacefully in his bed while Khamenei is dead under rubble is that one has nuclear deterent while the other din't have that protection.

> supposed aggressor

I don’t know if there is anything “supposed” about that aggressor given the present situation.

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#202

Post by hereme888 »

threetonesun wrote: post #189
hereme888 wrote: post #149

For the prospects of the freedom and subsequent prosperity of the oppressed Iranian people, peace in the Middle East, and safety of the commercial shipping routes, I fully approve my tax dollars to the matter.

OK, I don't. I wonder if we could set up some sort of legislative system that could debate this on our behalf and make a reasonable plan that accounts for our differing viewpoints.

I've found that if two people sit together and are willing to talk long enough, they'll eventually be able to actually hear each other, and usually they are more in agreement than the media-installed reactions and assumptions we have. Only with a few would we vehemently disagree. I'm talking about reasonable people though, like your calm reply.

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#203

Post by hereme888 »

nprz wrote: post #194
hereme888 wrote: post #149

For the prospects of the freedom and subsequent prosperity of the oppressed Iranian people, peace in the Middle East, and safety of the commercial shipping routes, I fully approve my tax dollars to the matter.

Do you really believe killing 175 children[0] will bring peace and prosperity to the Iranian people? [0] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/world/middleeast/girls-sc...

That news piece was officially dismissed after investigation by the IDF and CENTCOM. I would bring to your awareness that you're using an emotional argument with no substance, and it discounts the decades of complex history in the region.

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#204

Post by DarmokJalad1701 »

danny_codes wrote: post #168
IAmGraydon wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Reductive tropes?OP is pointing out a serious flaw in US federal spending. Namely our lack of spending on healthcare and our intensive spending on killing people from a distance

> Namely our lack of spending on healthcare

The federal govt spent about 2.6-2.8 trillion dollars[1] on healthcare in 2025 - including Medicare, Medicaid, ACA subsidies, VA/DoD health and federal employee benefits). In what world is that "lack of spending" ?

[1] https://www.pgpf.org/article/healthcare-spending-will-be-one...

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#205

Post by bjourne »

rwyinuse wrote: post #151
adriand wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The US has protected global sea lanes for 80 years. But rather than protect global sea lanes, the US is bombing Iran. That’s not the same thing. The idea that the war isn’t costing money for personnel because those people would be doing something anyway makes no sense. They could be doing something else. In fact, they could be doing something that increases the wealth and wellbeing of the world, rather than destroy…

What about tens of thousands of peaceful civilians who have been killed by the Iranian regime during past decades? The alternative to this war is allowing the Iranian government to keep doing that, business as usual. In my opinion bombing people responsible for these atrocities increases the well-being of the world. Most Iranians seem to agree.

This justification for bombing Iran is dumb as fuck. In a few days the number of civilians killed by US-Israeli bombings will surpass the number of civilians killed by the regime in decades.

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#207

Post by chmod775 »

flyinglizard wrote: post #172
throwaw12 wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wonder why Israel should get any support, do you support killing children and bombing schools? Ukraine, I understand, because it was attacked, but Israel, who was oppressing people for so many years with prisons full with Palestinian kids and teenagers long before Oct 7th, I really don't understand. Except, for Epstein reasons (blackmail), other than that, there is no reason US should support Israel, in any way

[flagged]

> values align with those of the US

Some values those are. Yikes.

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#208

Post by PieTime »

bawolff wrote: post #52
adriand wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The US has protected global sea lanes for 80 years. But rather than protect global sea lanes, the US is bombing Iran. That’s not the same thing. The idea that the war isn’t costing money for personnel because those people would be doing something anyway makes no sense. They could be doing something else. In fact, they could be doing something that increases the wealth and wellbeing of the world, rather than destroy…

> But rather than protect global sea lanes, the US is bombing Iran. That’s not the same thing. Arguably the primary threat to modern sea lanes is Iran. Right now Iran is harrasing traffic. Previously the Houthis, generally considered an Iranian proxy, were harrasing traffic. Its all kind of the same war, this is just the end game.

The end game is when the US backed dictatorships collapse, this is the end of American power, not the beginning.

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#209

Post by DarmokJalad1701 »

danny_codes wrote: post #166
Quarrelsome wrote: post #96

not providing universal healthcare is a choice, as seen directly here. Its distressing to have US politicians make false claims that Europe's universal healthcare being something they "indirectly pay for", because even if Europe spent all their money on defence the US (albeit mostly the GOP) would still resist providing universal healthcare both tooth and nail.

Universal healthcare is cheaper than our system of healthcare by a factor of 2 (comparing other OECD countries). If we raised taxes and implemented universal healthcare we’d save about $1T a year. Cost isn’t the relevant factor, it’s politics. Or more accurately, naked bribery that we, for some insane reason, call “lobbying”.

> If we raised taxes and implemented universal healthcare we’d save about $1T a year

If it saves $1T, then why does it require raising taxes?

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#210

Post by baxtr »

hedora wrote: post #181
baxtr wrote: post #143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The same "everyone" that said Ukraine will be taken in 2 weeks max? No one knows how this will end. Anyone claiming to is either lying or stupid or both.

I'd be curious to know what group thought that Ukraine would be taken in 2 weeks, but also thinks that the Iranian war will be a quagmire. Either they have a lot of information I'm missing, are complete idiots, or are being dishonest.

You’re missing my point.

No one can know at this stage. It’s called fog of war.

Those who pretend offer easy explanations because people crave easy answers.

It’s not satisfying to say: "it’s very complex, we can’t know, here are the odds". But that’s the current state of affairs.

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