Post-9/11 militarization has cost $21 trillion—here’s where that money could have gone

20 thoughts on “Post-9/11 militarization has cost $21 trillion—here’s where that money could have gone”

1. $21trillion to fund a 75 year losing streak?

2. But there is always enough money to wage another wars.

3. I'm guessing… we'll continue spending trillions on the military and police state. If anything, that number will increase. Fortunately, the US is a collapsing Empire, so this won't continue forever…

4. Cure the common cold in other countries? Huh? But the cure for the common cold cannot be found in this country. Propagating the non-fact of covid is not a solution to anything more than increasing legislation and tax expenditure, which logically increases the burden placed on the backs of the plantation. The problem is government. The solution is less government. They don't intend to be bad governors, but they intend to be governors. People forget they are servants with a duty to serve The People.

5. We could've gotten every American out of poverty and put through school and no homeless ppl

6. But Republicans complain and say how will 1 trillion get paid for that's going to be used to help the American ppl. Smdh. Yet they all get rich off these defense contracts etc

7. Just for comparisons sake…. If you make 50 thousand dollars a year, it will take you 20 thousand years to make One Billion dollars. So just One Trillion dollars is an absurdly ridiculous amount of money.

8. " In early 2001 , six or seven months before 9/11 , Washington made the decision to invade Afghanistan , overthrow Taliban , and install a client regime that would build the energy pipelines ."

   Iraq, Afghanistan, and Big Oil
   
   By Eric S. Margolis

   June 24, 2008

   PARIS — After a sea of lies and a tsunami of propaganda, the ugly truth behind the Iraq and Afghanistan wars finally emerged into full view this week.

   Four major western oil companies, Exxon, Mobil, Shell, BP and Total, are about to sign US-brokered no-bid contracts with the US-installed Baghdad regime to begin exploiting Iraq’s oil fields. Saddam Hussein had kicked these firms out three decades ago when he nationalized Iraq’s foreign-owned oil industry for the benefit of Iraq’s national development. The Baghdad regime is turning back the clock.

   This agreement comes as talks are continuing between the Washington and its Baghdad client regime over future US basing rights in Iraq. After some face-saving Iraqi objections, it is expected that Baghdad will sign a compact with Washington giving US forces control of Iraq and its air space in a manner very similar to Great Britain’s colonial arrangement with Iraq.

   Interestingly, the same oil companies that used to exploit Iraq when it was a British colony are now returning. As former US Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan recently admitted, the Iraq war was all about oil. VP Dick Cheney stated in 2003 that the invasion of Iraq was about oil, and for the sake of Israel.

   Meanwhile, according to Pakistani and Indian sources, Afghanistan just signed a major deal to launch a long-planned, 1680 km long pipeline project expected to cost $ 8 billion. If completed, the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline (TAPI) will export gas and, later, oil from the Caspian Basin to Pakistan’s coast where tankers will transport it to the west.

   The Caspian Basin located under the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakkstan, holds an estimated 300 trillion cubic feet of gas and 100—200 billion barrels of oil. Securing the world’s last remaining known energy Eldorado is strategic priority for the western powers. China can only look on with envy.

   But there are only two practical ways to get gas and oil out of landlocked Central Asia to the sea: through Iran, or through Afghanistan to Pakistan. For Washington, Iran is tabu. That leaves Pakistan, but to get there, the planned pipeline must cross western Afghanistan, including the cities of Herat and Kandahar.

   In 1998, the Afghan anti-Communist movement Taliban and a western oil consortium led by the US firm UNOCAL signed a major pipeline deal. UNOCAL lavished money and attention on Taliban, flew a senior delegation to Texas, and also hired an minor Afghan official, one Hamid Karzai.

   Enter Osama bin Laden. He advised the unworldly Taliban leaders to reject the US deal and got them to accept a better offer from an Argentine consortium, Bridas. Washington was furious and, according to some accounts, threatened Taliban with war.

   In early 2001, six or seven months before 9/11, Washington made the decision to invade Afghanistan, overthrow Taliban, and install a client regime that would build the energy pipelines. But Washington still kept up sending money to Taliban until four months before 9/11 in an effort to keep it "on side" for possible use in a war or strikes against Iran.

   The 9/11 attacks, about which Taliban knew nothing, supplied the pretext to invade Afghanistan. The initial US operation had the legitimate objective of wiping out Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida. But after its 300 members fled to Pakistan, the US stayed on, built bases — which just happened to be adjacent to the planned pipeline route — and installed former UNOCAL"consultant" Hamid Karzai as leader.

   Washington disguised its energy geopolitics by claiming the Afghan occupation was to fight "Islamic terrorism," liberate women, build schools, and promote democracy. Ironically, the Soviets made exactly the same claims when they occupied Afghanistan from 1979-1989. The cover story for Iraq was weapons of mass destruction, Saddam’s supposed links to 9/11, and promoting democracy.

   Work will begin on the TAPI once Taliban forces are cleared from the pipeline route by US, Canadian and NATO forces. As American analyst Kevin Phillips writes, the US military and its allies have become an "energy protection force."

   From Washington’s viewpoint, the TAPI deal has the added benefit of scuttling another proposed pipeline project that would have delivered Iranian gas and oil to Pakistan and India.

   India’s energy needs are expected to triple over the next decade to 8 billion barrels of oil and 80 million cubic meters of gas daily. Delhi, which has its own designs on Afghanistan and has been stirring the pot there, is cock-a-hoop over the new pipeline plan. Russia, by contrast, is grumpy, having hoped to monopolize Central Asian energy exports.

   Energy is more important than blood in our modern world. The US is a great power with massive energy needs. Domination of oil is a pillar of America’s world power. Afghanistan and Iraq are all about control of oil.

9. Affordable health care and housing.

10. The name of your channel sounds like George Bush saying he's going to go get all the bad people go get all the evil doers I mean legitimately it's as bad as safemoon
    Oh wait I understand you guys are the real News Network definitely not trying to do propaganda like you know people forever no make sure and trust us everybody were the real News Network it's right there in the name

11. I have an idea let's pretend what we could have done with pretend money because you know that brings value pretty cool story next

12. War is a racket…. Smedly Butler. Some things never change.

13. America is a war nation not an education nation. Standing unquestionably behind big pharma by 'experts' is further proof of our ignorance and lack of education. Vaccinating the world would push pharma profits well over their worth. Nationalizing vaccine development without liability protection could turn it all around. Stop acting like big pharma provides quality products because they DO NOT. They are a wicked problem unto themselves let alone our reliance on them.

14. Réparations for DOS

15. No other country on earth or in history can boast spending $21T on frivolous criminal adventures and still come out on top by controlling the world economy, for all that's being said about China being a competitor to the US is just baloney.

16. could've transformed this country and half the planet. at what rate did taxes go up on the American Working Class during that same period? let's not forget that the tax rate for corporations/wealthy folk were going down and that's just a fact. somebodies tax rate went up and it wasn't the wealthiest folks.

17. It doesn't matter whether it's 21 trillion or 21 quadrillion, when that kind of money is in control of those with power and extreme wealth the world is essentially a utopia to them, why would they want Healthcare for all, Free Education or just generally change anything that would benefit the majority of the population… The world is perfect in their eyes.

18. Imagine how much good all that money could've achieved instead of the death and destruction it was spent on?

19. It's not "down the drain" it's into the hands of the military industrial complex, wall st etc…all according to plan. They would rather you believe it was a mistake then a plan.

20. The trees are crying for help, but the printing machine is solid.
    Bring it on

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