Opportunity Costs of the Iraq War

Five years after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the United States remains engaged in the conflict with terrorism and its counterparts. The monetary spending on the conflict in Iraq continues to climb. The US administration has instituted a planned budget that will allocate “$ 442 billion for national defense, which is a defined area of the budget that includes the Department of Defense, nuclear weapons (part of Department of Energy), and a few other military –related areas in other agencies” (National Priorities Project 2). The opportunity costs of the war cannot be ignored. While no one can and has not supported the suppression and harsh regime of Saddam Hussein, it is clear that the reasons for going to war have been suspicious. According to the 9/11 Commission’s final report, Iraq did not take part in the planning or implementation of the September 11 attacks and did not have a “collaborative operational relationship” (American Progress 1). The United States thus faces a serious challenge. The relationship between US intelligence and the policy making process has regressed and is need of improvement. Other wise, the opportunity costs of these and further mistakes will continue to rise