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The Cost of War in Ameros

While media reports have the US public believing that the economy and war are the top two issues du jour, the AP Poll from which these assessments are taken did not indicate at all that it is the Iraq War that's tied with the US economy for the concern of Americans. In fact, the tie is with "war," the war in Iraq included; the numbers of Americans expressing concern about the war in Iraq are actually lower in 2008 than at the same time last year. So I'm still waiting for Americans to make a connection between Iraq and the economy. When they do, we will finally see a general call for an end to the horror in Iraq.

I'm not suggesting that Americans are like the ultra-capitalist Ferengi on Star Trek. If we were, we would already have ended things, like the Computer does in Logan's Run, when it realizes that it's too costly (over budget) to keep chasing an end that seems not to be readily attainable and stops the police pursuit. Competent leadership in Washington would have seen this, too, in our interests in the Middle East, and wisely would have ledgered that money elsewhere.

Former White House economic advisor Lawrence Lindsey was fired after he said the Iraq War would top out at $200 billion. Now the costs are estimated to go over $1 trillion. Today Lindsey has a mixed estimate about the final costs of war in Iraq.

As the economy continues to slide, and we look with futility to the Central Bank to print more money for us, we may have to start wearing those Gerald Ford "WIN" (Whip Inflation Now) buttons again. Or just wait for the Amero.

The US Dollar at Work

With help from my amazing friends at PQ Computing Inc:

Well, more on this subject later.