Who is going to pay for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Question

Is Mr. Bush going to force Ben Bernanke to print 1.6 Trillion U.S. dollars and make $100 be worth 1 penny?

Answer 1

Americans – both present and future generations, will shoulder the bulk of the expense incurred as a result of Bush’s misadventures in foreign policy and war. Furthermore, the global community will also share in this financial burden. I don’t think there is a person on earth, in the next 20 to 30 years, which will be left untouched by Bush’s machinations, just as we are paying the toll for the actions of prior administrations.

I agree with the well-articulated answer by the user who goes by the name “davster” (the user just above me). His comments are insightful, and may prove to be quite prescient. U.S. dominance in the world is slowly on the decline, and soon it will be relegated to a ¢has been” nation.

I don’t share the dystopian vision of the U.S. as a nation that will soon be relegated to third world status, which has been articulated by many doomsday prophets. To me this is more the product of sensationalism, than the result of truly looking at our circumstance. This view seems unrealistic, given the enormity of the U.S. economy and the utter interdependence of other national economies and our own. So I don’t believe that our “empire” will disintegrate as quickly as the USSR did, but I do see us slowly descending to the level of third-rate empire, much like what happened to England in the latter part of the 19th and early part of the 20th century.

Ours will not be a quick descent into abject poverty and powerlessness, but a slow erosion of power and economic strength will occur, in the same manner that it occurred with the Roman Empire nearly 2 millennia ago.

The sad thing is that the entire predicament could have been averted if we respected history, and saw the parallels between our decline and those of Rome. All good things do come to end, but they don’t have to come to an end so soon. Unfortunately, as I have lamented time and time again, we don’t respect history, and that myopic view of just being concerned with the present, and with me, myself, and I, will be the ultimate culprit of our loss of prominence in the world.

A good book to read about the subject of how Rome’s decline parallels our own, is one written by Cullen Murphy entitled “Are We Rome?: The Fall of an Empire and the fate of America”. I highly recommend it.

Answer 2

Sadly, most of the world. China, India and others will prosper but the days of US dominance on the world economic scene are over. The US can't cope with increased trade deficit, emerging third world countries and the huge national debt all at the same time. Mark my words, the US will be as relevant as the USSR is today in about 20 or 30 years tops. And when it falls it will take many countries with it. Then all the US will have is military might and heaven help us then.

Maybe the Bush family will make some money in the meantime so all is not lost, at least the entire US empire at least made some families wealthy before it toppled.

Before you laugh, my father-in law who is darn old has seen the fall of the Austria-Hungarian empire, the Third Reich, the British Empire, the USSR and the East Asian Co-operative. Japan has risen and fallen and somewhat risen again. The world can only handle so many super powers at once and I'd say recent events have caused the US star to dim as China, India and others have risen.considerably.

Answer 3

Ask your celebration Stevie Labour! Edit Labour were in potential and Labour took us to warfare end of! yet you in basic terms can not admit it even at the same time as your loved celebration is incorrect and make you a hypocrite that is gloomy. The Labour celebration produced a record that proved Saddam had guns of mass destruction!Which grew to develop into out to be yet another lie Stevie get real they are all crap.They even drove their own from Politics with the likes of Jack Straw. We as a human beings do no longer have their blood on our hands there have been vast protests over the warfare yet Labour determined of their awareness or greed chosen to push aside the traditional public. No the reality is the guilt lies on Labours door for all of this and they must be extremely ashamed of themselves sitting of their mansions.

Answer 4

not likely but the american citizen will definetly pay for it some who,, just look at how poor your greenback is doing against other currencies.. the canadian dollar hasnt been this good against the american in decades..thank you george bush for making the american dollar worth only 95c..

Answer 5

Remember its all about the oil or at least thats what libs believe So the answer has to be oil

Answer 6

Future generations of Americans will pay for this generation's misdeeds.

Answer 7

more sopwith economic statements from political..individuals...who can't even present an economic model to make their politics..legitimate

Answer 8

Dont worry

The rest of us will pick up you and your liberal slacker buddies portion.

Answer 9

Your children and their children too.