How much are we willing to pay to prolong the madness known as our preemptive invasion and occupation of Iraq? At what point do we say: "Enough!" Is it one trillion, two trillion, three trillion? Or is the sky the limit?
What is our moral obligation not only to the Iraqis, the soldiers who have risked their live -- some paying the ultimate price, but also to future taxpayers, since we are not adopting a pay-as-you-go war funding policy?
It would appear that no one responsible can answer these questions. On second thought, maybe they are answering by attempting to max out the government credit card.
President Bush originally requested for the current budget $150 billion to fight two wars -- Iraq and Afghanistan -- not including $460 billion to feed the appetite of rest of the ravenous Defense Department. Three weeks later, upon further review, it seems the administration will require an additional $42 billion, with the majority designated for the Iraq war.
The president's additional request for war is nearly double the amount of the children's health insurance bill he vetoed last week.
This is a long way from former Defense Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld's Pollyannaish prediction in January 2003, when he came up with "a number that's something under $50 billion." Rumsfeld's figures were based on the world market purchasing Iraq's oil supply.
That mythical oil cure-all had better kick in quick because the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan could total $2.4 trillion in the next decade.
As the Associated Press reported, the budget office analysts looked at two war scenarios to calculate a cost beyond the $600 billion already spent, including $450 billion in Iraq alone. Including requested appropriations for fiscal 2008, the total cost is about $800 billion.
One scenario involved a troop withdrawal from 200,000 in 2008 to 30,000 in 2010, remaining at that level through 2017. That would cost an additional $570 billion.
The other scenario calculated the cost of leaving 75,000 troops in from 2013 to 2017 at $859 billion over spending through 2008.
Moreover, the CBO estimates also included interest in its calculations, because the wars have essentially been paid for with federal borrowing. Interest payments on spending so far would total $415 billion. Under the first scenario, there would be an additional $175 billion in interest payments, and under the second scenario, $290 billion in debt service would be added.
Did you hear that kids? And you thought the interest on those student loans were bad!
According the National Priorities Project, the war cost could provide an estimated 277 million children with health care for the year, 22 million students could receive four-year scholarships at public universities, 61 million children could attend Head Start, or we could build 4 million additional housing units.
Clearly there is more than enough to rebuild the homes ravaged by the fire in Southern California, or we could fix Social Security. This makes the infamous "Bridge to Nowhere" the gold standard for good government.
Must we bankrupt the nation before we can openly admit we were wrong?
I realize the Democrats have small majorities in both houses of Congress; and there most likely are not votes to cut off debate in the Senate. But can they at least ask the tough questions? Can they not hold the presidents feet to the fire in committee hearings?
We are faced with three choices. First, if we are going down this hell hole what's wrong with a war tax? What's wrong with those of us who come no closer to Iraq than our remote control bearing some responsibility?
Second, the Democrats must find some courage and use the power of the purse granted to them by the Constitution. I know the politics holds them back, but it was politics, in which many Democrats were complicit, that got us into the current mess. Tough rhetoric and inaction equals stay-the-course, which is the third option.
But stay-the-course is killing us -- a small minority physically, and the rest of the nation financially.
Byron Williams is an Oakland pastor and syndicated columnist. E-mail byron@byronspeaks.com or leave a message at 510-208-6417