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Iran War Cost Tracker

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81–90 of 486 posts

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#81

This seems really low considering one of the early warning radars taken out cost around $1bil on its own.... and it's possible a second one was at least damaged. (one in Qatar the other in Bahrain)

The only footage I've seen is damage to maybe a satellite receiver. Have you seen proof of the radar damage

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Given 50 million schoolkids in the US and a cost per meal per child of $4, the current number represents 10 meals. At 1 meal a day that would be 2 school weeks, at 2 meals a day that would be 1 school week.

When would it ever be 2 meals a day?

With a school breakfast program and a school lunch program.

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#84
post #52
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.

If it were that straightforward, right now the US would (A) have a consistent set of demands/goals that include shipping security and (B) a large international coalition of support.

Neither are true.

P.S.: Plus, of course, the whole problem where "protecting global sea lanes" typically requires a different approach than "start a war by assassinating the leadership you were negotiating with."

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#85
post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Given 50 million schoolkids in the US and a cost per meal per child of $4, the current number represents 10 meals. At 1 meal a day that would be 2 school weeks, at 2 meals a day that would be 1 school week.

We've been at this for 2.5 days, and the president is suggesting this could last a month or more. I suspect the long term ROI on free school lunches is going to far exceed that of this war, as well.

The government's job is not to maximize its ROI. For example, (and I make no argument about whether the current situation does this), protecting its citizens is of extreme moral importance, even if it's very very expensive and unlikely to somehow feed back into the economy in a way that recoups the cost long term.

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#87
This doesn't include generational damage in sentiment:

* Europe is in trouble because they can't get gas from Russia, Qatar stopped supplying gas

* Japan is in trouble because Middle East supplies its 75% of oil, which is blocked now

* Ukraine is in dilemma, because US giving every support to Israel, but not to Ukraine

* Qatar, Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain is asking questions, if US can't defend us and is moving all defensive missiles to protect Israel, why should we even be ally with them in the future, they're scared even more (except UAE) that people might overthrow those kings if things continue this way

* Africa understood its better to work with China, than with US

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#88
post #6

Next time someone asks how we're going to pay for, eg, free school lunches, keep this site in mind.

Given 50 million schoolkids in the US and a cost per meal per child of $4, the current number represents 10 meals. At 1 meal a day that would be 2 school weeks, at 2 meals a day that would be 1 school week.

How many subsidized meals would it represent if you only account for the kids that need one?

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#89
post #6

Next time someone asks how we're going to pay for, eg, free school lunches, keep this site in mind.

The question is fundamentally poorly formed, and as a consequence, so is the rebuttal. A state can pay for anything, since it doesn't have to be in a budget surplus.

Household budget analogies emerge any time someone wants to limit spending, or criticize spending, but one of the biggest points of Wealth of Nations (which is the foundation for modern macroeconomics) is that the budget of a state is fundamentally different to that of a household.

If a household fails to maintain its budget, it's game over. People know this, which is why it's a punchy analogy. But it's also a bad analogy.

If a state fails to maintain its budget, it can either print more money or raise taxes. Neither is a great long term fiscal policy, but it's not the end of the world either, and budgetary deficit something most states utilize fairly regularly.

What's missing with the school lunches and present with the Iran War is political will. (I get that is what your point was all along.)

Re: Iran War Cost Tracker

#90
post #52
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.

> Right now Iran is harrasing traffic

gee, I wonder why they're doing that.

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