Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
Washington Post
November 13, 2007
Pg. 17
Waging war has become more and more expensive, with current budget requests bringing the cost of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to nearly $800 billion since 2001. Also rising is the cost of equipping America’s soldiers. This week, a measure to spend $50 billion more on the Iraq war through March is likely to come up for a vote in the House. According to the Defense Manpower Data Center, modern equipment for today’s soldiers is almost 10 times as expensive as it was during World War II, adjusted for inflation.
But the difference in protective wear — and in the way the United States fights wars — is part of a dramatic improvement in safety: Combat deaths have dropped from 2,086 per 100,000 soldiers in WWII to 310 per 100,000 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, a current rate of about one-third of a percent.
Ratio of soldiers killed in action to wounded in action
World War II (1941 to 1946, 11.26 million soldiers serving) -- 1 killed to every 2.4 wounded
Southeast Asia (1961 to 1973, 2.28 million soldiers serving) -- 1 killed to every 3.1 wounded
Iraq and Afghanistan (2001 to present, 766,666 soldiers serving) -- 1 killed to every 8.3 wounded
Weight of gear
World War II--35.8 pounds
Southeast Asia--35.1 pounds
Iraq and Afghanistan--75.3 pounds
Cost of gear (in inflation-adjusted dollars)
World War II--$1,981
Southeast Asia--$1,941
Iraq and Afghanistan--$17,442
SOURCE: Defense Manpower Data Center
--Todd Lindeman, Seth Hamblin and Josh White, The Washington Post
November 13, 2007
Pg. 17
Waging war has become more and more expensive, with current budget requests bringing the cost of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to nearly $800 billion since 2001. Also rising is the cost of equipping America’s soldiers. This week, a measure to spend $50 billion more on the Iraq war through March is likely to come up for a vote in the House. According to the Defense Manpower Data Center, modern equipment for today’s soldiers is almost 10 times as expensive as it was during World War II, adjusted for inflation.
But the difference in protective wear — and in the way the United States fights wars — is part of a dramatic improvement in safety: Combat deaths have dropped from 2,086 per 100,000 soldiers in WWII to 310 per 100,000 soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, a current rate of about one-third of a percent.
Ratio of soldiers killed in action to wounded in action
World War II (1941 to 1946, 11.26 million soldiers serving) -- 1 killed to every 2.4 wounded
Southeast Asia (1961 to 1973, 2.28 million soldiers serving) -- 1 killed to every 3.1 wounded
Iraq and Afghanistan (2001 to present, 766,666 soldiers serving) -- 1 killed to every 8.3 wounded
Weight of gear
World War II--35.8 pounds
Southeast Asia--35.1 pounds
Iraq and Afghanistan--75.3 pounds
Cost of gear (in inflation-adjusted dollars)
World War II--$1,981
Southeast Asia--$1,941
Iraq and Afghanistan--$17,442
SOURCE: Defense Manpower Data Center
--Todd Lindeman, Seth Hamblin and Josh White, The Washington Post