Speaking of national spending
David Leonhardt's article today, "
What $1.2 Trillion Can Buy" is frightening and infuriating. $1.2 trillion is a conservative estimate of the cost of the Iraq war, not even taking into account soldier deaths. With the same amount of money, he asserts you could buy the following:
- A global immunization campaign
- Treatment for diabetes and heart disease for every American
- A doubling of cancer research
- Universal pre-school for 3- and 4-year-olds
- Reconstruction of New Orleans
- Better baggage and cargo screening (a 9/11 Commission recommendation deemed too expensive)
- Increased pressure against the Taliban in Afghanistan
- A peacekeeping force in Darfur
He concludes that the decision to send another 20,000 troops (costing $20 billion) shouldn't just be compared to other political strategies such as putting pressure on the Iraqi government. It should be compared to that
and what we could have bought for the $20 billion.
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