U.S. Spending on Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Exceeds $1 Trillion

Interview with Christopher Hellman, communications liaison with the National Priorities Project, conducted by Scott Harris

On Memorial Day 2010, Americans honored the service of the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have fought in the nation's wars, past and present. During this year's holiday, parades and ceremonies remembered those who have fallen in the wars that continue in Iraq and Afghanistan. To date more than 4,400 U.S. soldiers have died in Iraq, and more than 1,000 have been killed in Afghanistan. Service men and women who have been injured in these conflicts numbers in the tens of thousands.

In addition to the human cost of these wars, America's funding for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan has now exceeded the $1 trillion mark as of May 30, according to the group National Priorities Project, which tracks U.S. military spending. That trillion dollar figure includes $747.3 billion appropriated for the war in Iraq and $299 billion for the war in Afghanistan. A supplemental spending bill for both wars, now pending in Congress, would allocate an additional $37 billion, added to $136.8 billion for the current fiscal year.

Between The Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Christopher Hellman, communications liaison with the National Priorities Project, who talks about the meaning of $1 trillion spent on war vs. funding programs that address human needs. He describes what other priorities these dollars could have funded if they were applied to social programs at home, such as education, health care, public safety, energy efficiency and affordable housing.

Contact the National Priorities Project at (413) 584-9556 or visit their website at www.nationalpriorities.org to find out what programs your tax dollars fund.

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