In June 2015, it was revealed that the Pentagon spent nearly $400 billion dollars on its F-35
Fighter jet program.
Its final cost is expected to be 1.5 trillion dollars, making it the most expensive weapon
in history.
This huge expense is just one of many in the US’s ongoing War on Terror.
With President Obama halting withdrawal from Afghanistan, the total price tag is only set
to rise.
So just how expensive is the war on terror?
Well, since the attacks of September 11th, the US has been engaged in simultaneous wars
in Afghanistan and Iraq.
This, plus other regional engagements over the past 14 years, has been known as the War
on Terror.
It has been one of the longest in US history, and produced more than 1.2 million casualties.
Back in 2003, the wars were originally budgeted to cost about $68 billion dollars.
But as troop levels and involvement rose, by 2014 the US had spent as much as 1.6 trillion
dollars.
To put that in perspective, taxpayers have been paying around $14 million dollars an
hour since 9/11.
So, what exactly is this money being spent on?
Most of the money is divided into three budgets: the Department of Defense, the State Department
and the Department of Veterans Administration.
The majority of the funds are given to the DOD for military operations.
The Iraq war constitutes 51% of the budget, while the war in Afghanistan makes up 43%.
The rest of the funding is designated to enhanced security at military bases worldwide, and
other associated wartime costs.
Yet, the expenses aren’t over.
Congress has approved additional funding for the 2015 fiscal year to join the war effort
against ISIS.
This puts the total cost of the War at 1.7 trillion, making it the second most expensive
war in US history, after World War II.
One think tank has even predicted that the total cost would eclipse 5 TRILLION dollars.
So after spending all this money in the name of safety, is the world better off than it
was 13 years ago?
Many experts say that the U.S.’s military actions have only increased the threat of
extremism and instability.
With terrorist groups expanding, the bill for the War on Terror is only expected to
grow.
One terrorist group that has survived the war on terror is the Taliban.
Find out in this video up top.
Some people blame the U.S. for the creation of these terrorist groups.
Watch the video down below to learn more about that theory.
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