Fliers

How Much Money for War?

In 2001, the U.S. spent $306 billion on the military. President Bush is asking for $481 billion for FY 2008 (fiscal years begin on October 1).
That’s a 58% increase in military spending-and does NOT include spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
That’s also a $52 billion increase over what Congress approved for military spending for this year-or a 12% increase in just one year.
$170 billion will be authorized for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for this year alone. That includes the $70 billion authorized last fall as well as the approximately $100 billion in the pending supplemental spending bill.
President Bush has requested $142 billion in military spending for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for next year.
51% of the federal government’s discretionary spending goes towards the military (discretionary spending does not include such items as Social Security and Medicare which are financed through payroll taxes and other non-income tax sources of revenue).
With spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, military spending will consume 58% of federal discretionary spending next year.