Nearly 3,000 Americans were murdered by Islamic terrorists on September 11, 2001. Since that time, 5,900 US troops have lost their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq, with over 40,000 wounded. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and suicides continue to plague the military.
Economically, since the US invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, our nation has spent over $1.14 trillion on the two wars. Next fiscal year, at least $117 billion more is projected to be spent on these two war theaters, though this would represent a $42 billion reduction from this fiscal year's $159 billion budget.
While there has not been another 9/11 magnitude terrorist attack on American soil, more and more Americans are beginning to wonder if over 45,000 dead and wounded troops, over $1.14 trillion spent, a psychologically damaged military, a corrupt and unstable Afghanistan, an Iraq in which a pro-Iranian, anti-American cleric is about to play a major role in the new government, and an Iraq in which 1/2 to 2/3 of the Christian population has been forced to flee, pass muster in an objective cost-benefit analysis.
*Editor's note: Casualties can be tracked here.