Introduction Armed with strong resolutions from the U.S. Congress and the U.N. Security Council, the United States is marching toward war with Iraq.
The October 2002 Congressional Resolution authorizing the use of force describes U.S. policy, “to defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq and enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq.” In early November of 2002, the unanimous Security Council Resolution “warned Iraq that it will face serious consequences as a result of its continued violations of its obligations.”
The major benefits of a war are reckoned to be disarming Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction and removing a leadership that is unrelentingly hostile to the United States. But what of the costs.
Given the salience of cost, it is surprising that there have been no systematic public analyses of the economics of a military conflict in Iraq. This essay attempts to fill the gap.
(Please click the illustration for a clearly presented chart.)
Given the salience of cost, it is surprising that there have been no systematic public analyses of the economics of a military conflict in Iraq. This essay attempts to fill the gap.
(Please click the illustration for a clearly presented chart.)