Mission Accomplished

6 weeks and $60 billion

Estimates of Iraq War Cost Were Not Close to Ballpark
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN
Published: March 19, 2008
Five years into the conflict, experts estimate the cost of the war to be anywhere from $600 billion to $4 trillion – tens of times more than originally projected.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/19/washington/19cost.html?ex=1364097600&en=43c6bf080ba08929&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink



What is $1 trillion?

What $1.2 Trillion Can Buy
By DAVID LEONHARDT
Published: January 17, 2007
Medical research, tackling poverty and education, and reconstruction of New Orleans would all be ways to spend $1.2 trillion. Here is another: The war in Iraq.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/17/business/17leonhardt.html?ex=1354856400&en=9ee1988b6a321148&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

Welcome

Welcome to the frittering away our future blog. This blog is a product of my frustration with the current state of affairs in many aspects of American life, but especially with the continued Iraq war and "war on terror." These conflicts and their expense - emotionally, financially and morally - threaten to bind our ambition and stunt our progression as a nation for years. The blog will start as a clearing house of facts, stories and commentary that I find informative and provocative. I hope to add some of my own thinking and experience from time to time and appreciate your input as well. I hope that this initial effort of cataloguing and sharing will eventually lead me to a more clear understanding of how to pursue action.