I can’t pretend I know much about the War in Iraq, even though I’ve read Richard Clarke’s Against All Enemies, and Bob Woodward’s Plan of Attack… Well, I had to read the latter for a class in college that I really can’t remember. I even read Michael Gordon’s Cobra II – yea, obviously on occasion I have too much time on my hands.

Still there’s definitely one thing that gets me – the cost of the war.

What would I spend my tax dollars on if I had the choice?

Cost of War: 720 Million/Day

How would you spend it?

FOR THAT PRICE, YOU COULD PROVIDE:

34,904 FOUR-YEAR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

1,153,846 CHILDREN WITH FREE SCHOOL LUNCHES

1,274, 336 HOMES WITH RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY

95, 364 HEAD-START PLACES FOR CHILDREN

6,482 FAMILIES WITH 3 BEDROOM HOMES

12, 478 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

423,529 CHILDREN WITH HEALTHCARE

163,525 PEOPLE WITH HEALTHCARE

84 NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

EVERY DAY

Source: Based on the work of nobel prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and colleague Linda Bilmes – The Cost of War Project.