The $200 billion cost of Iraq...

[Memekiller]

I'm convinced Kerry/Edwards is continuing to use this line because it's essentially true, but it gives the "fact checkers" something to point to so they can seem "even handed". If they didn't put that out there, reporters would have to stretch and find something to use for "balance". If they're going to do this "on the one hand" kind of BS, why not give them something innocuous?

[Dudley_DUright]

1. Jesse Taylor at the Pandagon blog had a good retort about this

The "factchecks" on the $200 billion question don't make much sense to me.

We can't count the war as costing what it's going to cost because the money's been earmarked to be spent, but hasn't been spent yet.

By that standard, my car cost $622.

http://www.pandagon.net/mtarchives/003614.html

[jackstraw45]

2. Ha....good analogy. Hope the Kerry campaign uses it.

People can RELATE to that analogy.

Your car doesn't cost a few hundred dollars if you finance it.

Your house doesn't cost 20% of the price.

If you're committed to spend $200 BILLION on Iraq, then the BILL is $200 BILLION.

[sandnsea]

3. Here's a link

From Institute for Policy Studies, I think they're pretty fair. Not entirely sure.

The Bill So Far: Congress has approved of $151.1 billion for Iraq. Congressional leaders anticipate an additional supplemental appropriation of $60 billion after the election.

http://www.ips-dc.org/iraq/failedtransition/index.htm

There was $75 billion in March 2003 and $87 billion that summer.

"Noticeably absent from next year's request is money for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. White House budget director Joshua Bolten estimated that another $50 billion would be needed to cover those costs next year."

Although the article also says, "Unmanned aircraft such as the Predator, which was used successfully in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere, would receive nearly $2 billion in funding, a 32 percent increase over last year. The Pentagon also plans to spend $1.6 billion on satellite and laser-guided bombs, Tomahawk missiles and other precision munitions, all of which have been used heavily in combat operations since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks."

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/7858468.htm

[life_long_dem]

4. I believe the main point should be

We should not have invaded Iraq until after we got OBL. And I also believe Bushco* would have had a harder time justifying an invasion.
I think that's why it was done ass-backwards.