The data on costs of war
Follow the money....and the material
Welcome to another edition of the S.A.D newsletter. Today we talk about war.
War. It never stops. Does it? My intervention in this puny little newsletter won’t going to make any difference. I often wonder, with climate change natural disasters that we already dealing with, now and then add absolute destruction of lives, natural habitat, and properties around the world, displacing people and fuelling more and more conflict. Why are we still having wars?
War...huh...yeah What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing
Uh ha haa ha War...huh...yeah
What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing...say it again y'all War..huh...look out...
What is it good for? Absolutely nothing...listen to me ohhhhh
But the research and data on its costs are there. Of course, geopolitical strategy, even though it can be influenced by research, often works mysteriously without much transparency. We are not privy to these decisions, maybe years after they come to light, like the Vietnam War or the First Gulf War. But who to blame? Are “we” responsible even if we do not have that much impact? But “we” are part of the political system and democracy (supposedly), accountability, and transparency. 99% of the time, war can be avoided, maybe 100% of the time. And of course, there are just wars, holy wars, rhetorics around freedom and democracy, media manipulation, amplification via social media, polarisation. All these make it difficult to understand why war keeps happening. But one thing is certain: Follow the money, and we might find the links and our answers
Costs of War, Watson Institute, Brown University.
The United States federal government has spent an estimated $8 trillion on the post-9/11 wars in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. This includes various expenses such as direct war appropriations, increases to the Pentagon budget, veterans’ care, interest payments on war borrowing, and more. Public access to this budget information is limited. The wars have been mostly funded through borrowing, leading to increased deficits and national debt, with projected future interest payments. Military spending has also diverted resources from other sectors like healthcare and infrastructure, potentially impacting job creation. Beyond federal costs, state, municipal, and private funds have also been expended on services for veterans and homeland security.
Ghost Budget: What is Ghost Budget? One of the most significant budget abnormalities in U.S. history was the funding of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, totalling $5 trillion, as described by Linda Bilmes. This was accomplished through an unprecedented and unaccountable method involving debt, accounting manoeuvres, and outsourcing. This approach, known as the Ghost Budget, relied on supplemental funding and lacked fiscal discipline, leading perpetual war. These insights are further explored in “Perpetual War and International Law: Legacies of the War on Terror” (Oxford University Press, forthcoming 2024).
Who Funds Hamas? “Blockchain researchers TRM Labs said in a research note that crypto fundraising has previously increased following rounds of violence involving Hamas. After fighting in May 2021, Hamas-controlled crypto addresses received more than $400,000, TRM Labs said.”
SIPRI military index database The SIPRI Military Expenditure Database updated annually contains consistent time series on the military spending of countries for the period 1949–2022.
Arms industry lobby Arms companies in play an important role in the definition of security policies,
Weapons Exporters “France has overtaken Russia on the list of the biggest weapons exporters”. The United States has reinforced its global dominance in arms sales. In 2023, Ukraine was the No. 1 global arms importer. However, its allies offered rather than sold many of the arms it received in the fight against Russia. The United States, Germany, and Poland were Ukraine's top three suppliers.
Another amazing resource. A new interactive site “Who Arms War?” published by the World Peace Foundation and funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York, examines more than 25 years of conflict and arms transfers.
Kalashnikov makeover? “Equipped with a shiny new logo, shrugging off US sanctions and claiming its guns are “protecting peace”, the Russian weapons manufacturer Kalashnikov launched a major rebranding drive in Moscow on Tuesday.”. Also Kalashnikov died, aged 94. “Shortly before his death he wrote a letter of repentance to the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, asking whether he should seek forgiveness for creating a weapon that had been responsible for so much death. The patriarch reportedly replied that the weapon had been used “in defence of the motherland” and said Kalashnikov had given an example of “patriotism and serving one’s country”.
Was the Afghanistan War a failure? Not for the these five companies and shareholders: Boeing, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman.
And an old report from DW but fascinating. During the Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988), the western world largely supported Iraq, armed by the United States, while Israel viewed Saddam Hussein’s regime as the greater threat and sided with Iran. According to a study by the Tel Aviv Institute for National Security Studies, Israel provided Iran with arms worth $500 million in the war’s initial three years. This information sheds light on historical alliances and is particularly relevant given recent conflicts. Consider reading Trita Parsi’s book (2008), “Treacherous Alliance: The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran, and the United States,” for further insights.
And always follow the money and follow the raw materials! “….arms manufacturers require a solid supply of high-quality elemental magnesium– a raw material which is highly prized for its good electrical conductivity, high mechanical strength, and low weight. Magnesium is frequently used in the manufacture of flares and fuses.” “In response, and to secure a reliable supply, the US government has awarded the start-up Magrathea Metals with almost $20 million to establish its first commercial magnesium smelter, next to its pilot facility in Oakland, California. The raw material producer will use industrial wastewater, desalination brines, and raw seawater as a feedstock.”
That’s it for today. Good night, and Good luck!
Come you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks