That's the amount, in 2008 dollars, we've spent on contracts performed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and their theaters since 2001. Check the map for the breakdown. It shouldn't surprise anyone that Iraq has the majority of the spending, Iraq has had many more troops and most of the spending goes to supporting them. It's important to keep in mind that while private security contractors tend to make the most news, they're direct contracts only account for $6 billion of the $153 billion. That said, if you want to account for sub-contracting than you can probably double or triple that figure.
Check back over the next week if you're curious who is spending that money and want details on what they're buying. For those that are impatient, the results are available in this overview newsletter.
Part of my job is to follow and study financial and industrial aspects of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. On this veterans day I do want to thank those that have served and also to do my part to help people understand this part of the wars. So, if you've got any I'll do my best to help bridge the civil-military gaps in knowledge.
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