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Rising Iraqi war-costs concern many
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Recent analyses of the mounting cost of war in Iraq show cost
predictions made by analysts at the outset – which the Bush
administration dismissed – prove accurate.
On Monday, lawmakers approved the President’s request for
an $87 billion package to help with the costs created by Iraq.
However, many leaders and citizens are unhappy about the
administration’s request.
“What about improving things here in America, like health
care and education, instead we’re putting billions and
billions of toward building the infrastructure of some foreign
nation,” said Eric Smith, BSU student.
Some are concerned with predictions analysts offered and the
attacks waged on those estimates by White House and military
officials.
In one instance, Economic Adviser Larry Lindsey estimated that
an occupation of Iraq would cost U.S. taxpayers between $100 and
$200 billion. Mitch Daniels, budget chief for the Bush
administration, attacked Lindsey’s prediction – saying
that it was too high.
However, according to an Oct. 31 report released by the
Congressional Budget Office, Lindsey’s estimates prove
accurate. The report says costs in Iraq will fall between $85 and
$200 billion, or $4 billion per month.
“I don’t think that America in general was paying
too much attention to cost predictions,” said BSU Political
Science Professor Dianne Johnson, adding, “administration
leaders were also probably a lot more optimistic about what the
outcome was going to be and now they’re
scrambling.”
In another incident, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz
criticized an estimate made by Army General Eric Shinseki as
inaccurate. Gen. Shinseki predicted that a U.S.-led war with Iraq
would require more than 200,000 troops.
Recent figures released by the Pentagon show that Gen.
Shinseki’s estimate was on the mark. To date, more than
240,000 troops occupy Iraq, funded almost entirely by U.S.
dollars.
“I think that President Bush and his administration
officials are a bunch of idiots,” said Seth Bergemann, BSU
nursing major, as he added, “Bush was going to do what he
wanted to do and no one was going to be able stop him, but why
should we have to pay for it?”
An Oct. 2001 report produced by the Congressional Budget Office
projected that Iraqi oil revenue would produce approximately $12
billion annually, $3 billion of which could be used to help fund
reconstruction.
Despite estimates offered in the 2001 CBO report, Dep. Wolfowitz
told a House panel in March 2002 that Iraqi oil revenue would
likely generate between $50 to $100 billion over a period of two
years. Such an estimate would equate to Iraq being able to put
about $13 to $26 billion annually toward its own
reconstruction.
Recent Pentagon reports show that actual Iraqi oil revenues are
only a fraction of Wofowitz’ estimate, and are almost
entirely in line with the predictions which had previously been
offered by the CBO. The most recent numbers show that approximately
$15 billion is being generated annually, only $3.9 billion of which
is being used in rebuilding. Portions of the president’s $87
billion package will be used to fund reconstruction in Iraq.
“It’s obvious that the government refused to pay
attention to the knowledge of analysts and instead chose to lie to
the American people in order to wage a grossly unsupported attack
on Iraq,” said Erynn Graff, BSU Biology major.
Brandon Beckham
News Reporter
The Arbiter
