Before the Next War Starts, Remember the Last One
Remembering what war in the Middle East has already cost America
Last week, Israel launched an unprecedented strike on Iran, escalating tensions in a region that was already teetering on the edge of war. Now, Donald Trump is jumping into the chaos with a familiar line: he wants to “end” Iran’s nuclear program, one way or another
If that sounds familiar, it should. It’s the exact same justification George W. Bush used to launch a war against Iraq in 2003.
So before we get dragged into another endless war in the Middle East, it’s worth revisiting what past conflicts have already cost us.
Let’s start with the Gulf War.
In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. The U.S. led a coalition under the banner of Operation Desert Storm to push them out. It was a quick war, lasting just over a month of combat operations in early 1991. The U.S. lost 299 service members in battle and a total of 383 in the conflict overall. Financially, the war cost around $61 billion at the time—roughly $120 billion adjusted for inflation.
The Gulf War was short. It was relatively cheap. And for most Americans, it didn’t touch daily life. It was a media war — a fireworks display on CNN. It shaped the military fantasies of an entire generation of foreign policy hawks.
So when 9/11 happened, that memory of a “clean” war—fast, surgical, inexpensive—helped lay the groundwork for what came next.
Iraq and Afghanistan
In 2003, the Bush administration used falsified intelligence and outright lies to justify an invasion of Iraq. Weapons of mass destruction that didn’t exist. The result? A war that dragged on for nearly a decade.
Over 4,500 American troops were killed in Iraq. Tens of thousands were wounded. Civilian casualties are estimated to range from 200,000 to over 650,000, depending on the source. As with most wars — exact civilian casualties can be difficult to accurately calculate.
And then came twenty years in Afghanistan. Over 2,400 U.S. service members killed. Another 20,000 wounded. Trillions spent. And for what? The Taliban returned to power within weeks of our withdrawal.
Beyond the casualties, the financial cost is staggering. Harvard estimates that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will ultimately cost U.S. taxpayers over $6 trillion when long-term obligations like veterans’ care and interest on the debt are included. Assuming Trump doesn’t gut those services to help pay for the next war.
Let’s be clear: that money didn’t go to peace or democracy. It went to defense contractors, oil companies, and the military-industrial complex that profits from every war we start.
Trump’s “No New Wars” Was A Lie
Now Trump wants to throw fuel on the fire in Iran. He’s already floated the idea of direct U.S. involvement in the growing conflict, saying "we’re going to have to do something" if the situation escalates. What happened to his campaign promise of being a peacetime president? Guess it’s gone the same way as his promise to lower grocery prices.
Meanwhile, Trump’s close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—and the far-right forces behind him—means the U.S. would almost certainly end up providing military aid, intelligence, and weapons. Even if we don’t send boots on the ground, we’ll be fueling the war machine. American tax dollars will continue to be used to fund war and murder in the Middle East.
War with Iran would be catastrophic. It would cost trillions. It would risk thousands of American lives and leave us responsible for tens of thousands of civilian casualties. It would bring us one step closer to World War 3.