Just an accumulation of foolish things said by important folks on the merits of war. I am quoting the Iraq war here, but it can be contributions to any war.
There is a lot of money to pay for the Iraq war that doesn't have to be US taxpayer money, and it starts with the assets of the Iraqi people. We are talking about a country that can really finance its own reconstruction and relatively soon."
~~~ Paul Wolfowitz, March 27, 2003
Iraq is a very wealthy country. Enormous oil reserves. They can finance, largely finance the reconstruction of their own country. I have no doubt that they will.
~~~ Richard Perle, July 11, 2002
When it comes to reconstruction, before we turn to the American taxpayer, we will first turn to the resource of the Iraqi government and the international community.
~~~ Donald Rumsfeld, also March 27, 2003
Mission accomplished!
~~~ George Bush, sometime in 2003
Some facts:
Official cost of the Iraq war to US tax payers as of March 2008: $523 billion
Median household income in Cleveland: $27000
Average income of an Army private in combat: $26000
Average income of military contractor CEOs: $9095756
Highest paid military contractor CEO: $24399747 (Robert Stevens of Lockheed Martin)