The Costs of War Project

@costsofwar.bsky.social

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The human, budgetary, environmental, and social costs of U.S. wars and military operations, at home and abroad. Housed at Brown University's Watson School of International and Public Affairs at costsofwar.org.

Inforgraphic: Of the 20 states with economies most dependent on military manufacturing, 14 experience poverty at similar or higher rates than the national average: CA, TX, VA, FL, PA, MO, AZ, AL, KY, NY, GA, WI, OH, and IL.
Text: The horrors of war and the joys of play through video games are seemingly incompatible. But their histories are inextricably linked.
Rachel Berger’s Bullet I is an Xbox controller that has been dipped in lead and accented with copper thumbsticks. From the paper, "The Militarization of Video Game Culture".
Infographic: The Cost of Militarized Rivalry with China (2012-2024): $3.4 trillion total. From the report, "The Costs of Militarized Rivalry with China: A First Estimate".
In 2023, the Army spend $117 million reviving its iconic "Be All You Can Be" recruitment campaign for social media platforms. By 2024, the Army had exceeded its recruiting target, enlisting 55,300 new soldiers.
Infographic: As of 2024, there were 950 active lobbyists for the arms industry--220 more than during the last years of the war in Afghanistan. That's nearly two lobbyists for every member of Congress. Members of Congress: 535 Active lobbyists: 950
From 2020 to 2024, private firms received $2.4 trillion in contracts from the Pentagon, approximately 54% of the Department's discretionary spending.
Graph: In 2024, at least 61% of the discretionary budget went towards military-related spending.
Table 1: Comparison of Total Jobs per $1 Million, Military and Non-Military Spending from the report, "The Employment Impacts of Cuts to Federal Spending: Not All Cuts Are Created Equal".
After 9/11, war toys surged in popularity. G.I. Joe generated roughly $80 million in sales in 2001, doubling over the prior year. Fiver years into the U.S. war in Iraq, an online search for "G.I. Joe" produced at least 35 obituaries for military personnel that mentioned the toy as inspiration for serving. Photo: Military toy, Mike Groll, Associated Press, 2014.
The extra U.S. fuel costs associated with the Iran war have surpassed $65.8 billion. That's more than $500 per household. Costs of War/Climate Solutions Lab
The extra U.S. fuel costs associated with the Iran war has supassed $65.8 billion. That's more than $500 per household. Costs of War/Climate solutions Lab
Text: From 2020-2024, 54% of the Pentagon's discretionary spending of $4.4 trillion went to military contractors.
Text: As of 2024, there were 950 active lobbyists for the arms industry—220 more than during the last years of the war in Afghanistan. That's nearly two lobbyists for every member of Congress.
Graphics from the report, “Deserted: The U.S. Military's Sexual Assault Crisis as a Cost of War”. https://costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/deserted-us-militarys-sexual-assault-crisis-cost-war
Model walks on the runway during the Kaimin Fashion Show during Spring Summer 2019 held in New York, NY on September 12, 2018. (Photo by Jonas Gustavsson/Sipa USA)(Sipa via AP Images)
Over one-third of the $108 billion in contract work performed in Afghanistan from 2001-2021 for the U.S. Department of Defense went to undisclosed recipients.
Text: Over the past decade, the center of America's military-industrial complex has been slowly shifting from the Capital Beltway to Silicon Valley.
Chart: Five Largest Publicly Disclosed Tech Contracts Awarded by U.S. Military and Intelligence Agencies, 2019-2022 from the report, "How Big Tech and Silicon Valley are Transforming the Military-Industrial Complex".
Pie chart: The costs of militarized rivalry with China, 2012-2024, from the report, "The Costs of Militarized Rivalry with China: A First Estimate".
Image: Upgrading key U.S. infrastructure would cost 1/10 of what the U.S. has spent on military competition with China since 2012. Completely redoing the U.S. air traffic control system: $31.5 billion Repairing all the currently rated "poor condition" bridges in the U.S.: $319 billion.
Photo by Heidi Levine (July 30, 2025) showing an aerial view of Gaza destruction, taken during a Royal Jordanian military flight for a humanitarian aid mission.
Image: In 2024, at least 61% of the discretionary budget went towards military-related spending.
Table 1: Comparison of Total Jobs per $1 Million, Military and Non-Military Spending, from the report, "The Employment Impacts of Cuts to Federal Spending: Not All Cuts Are Created Equal."
Image text: Over 2,500 war-themed movies and TV programs have been made with Pentagon assistance.
Photo by Heidi Levine (July 30, 2025) showing an aerial view of Gaza destruction, taken during a Royal Jordanian military flight for a humanitarian aid mission.
Image: The total costs of caring for veterans of the post-9/11 wars are estimated to reach $2.2 - $2.5 trillion.
Image: More than 40% of veterans of post-9/11 wars are entitled to lifetime disability payments. This number is expected to increase to 54% over the next 30 years.
Map: United States Counterterrorism Operations, 2021-2023 from the report, "United States Counterterrorism Operations Under the Biden Administration, 2021-2023"
Screenshot of the Iran War Energy Cost Tracker
Headline from The Guardian: Trump says 'I love the inflation' as rate rises to 4.2% amid Iran war pressure
Since 9/11, on average 24% of U.S. women service members and 1.9% of men experienced sexual assault.
Image Text: From 2020-2024, 54% of the Pentagon's discretionary spending of $4.4 trillion went to military contractors.
Image from the report, "Budgetary Costs of U.S. Military Operations in Venezuela, the Caribbean, and the Eastern Pacific, August 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026".
Table 1: Comparison of Total Jobs per $1 Million, Military and Non-Military Spending from the report, "The Employment Impacts of Cuts to Federal Spending: Not All Cuts Are Created Equal".
Text: Over one-third of the $108 billion in contract work performed in Afghanistan from 2001-2021 for the U.S. Department of Defense went to undisclosed recipients.
Graphic: Estimated Cumulative Costs of Operations Souther Spear and Absolute Resolve, August 1, 2025 — March 31, 2026: $4.7 billion
Text: From 2020-2024, the U.S. government invested over twice as much money in 5 weapons companies as it spent on diplomacy and international aid.
Graph: Pentagon contracts to top arms firms, 2020-2024 from the report, "Profits of War: Top Beneficiaries of Pentagon Spending, 2020 – 2024".
Graphic: As of May 18, 2026, higher fuel costs due to the Iran War exceed the estimated cost of completely redoing the U.S. air traffic control system.
Graphic from the report, "From a Militarized to a Decarbonized Economy: A Case for Conversion".
Infographic from the report, "High Suicide Rates among United States Service Members and Veterans of the Post-9/11 Wars".
Infographic: The Cost of Militarized Rivalry with China (2012-2024)
Figure 1: Cost Comparisons, China's Militarized Rivalry Vs Major U.S. Federal Agencies from the report, "The Costs of Militarized Rivalry with China: A First Estimate"
Image: As of May 18, 2026, higher fuel costs due to the Iran war exceed the estimated cost of completely redoing the U.S. air traffic control system ($31.5 billion)
Image: As of May 18, 2026, higher fuel costs due to the Iran war could have paid for the entire federal Bridge Investment Program announced in 2024 to repair and restore nationally significant road bridges.
Screenshot of quote from Stephanie Savell
Image: As of May 18, 2026, higher fuel costs due to the Iran war are more than twice the cost of the Federal EV Charging and Electrification Programs proposed under two laws passed during the Biden administration.
Image: As of May 18, 2026, higher fuel costs due to the Iran War exceed the estimated cost of completely redoing the U.S. air traffic control system ($31.5 billion).
Image text: As of May 18, 2026, higher fuel costs due to the Iran War could have paid for the entire federal Bridge Investment Program announced in 2024 to repair and restore nationally significant road bridges.
Screenshot from the brief, "The U.S. Energy Cost of the Iran War"
Image: As of May 18, 2026, our calculations show that Americans have spent over $40 billion on extra gasoline and diesel costs, above what they paid in February. Our latest brief asks: What as a country, could we have spent that money on instead?
Screenshot of excerpt from the op-ed, "Local opinion: United States vs China – the great trade (off)" in the Arizona Daily Star
Image: Estimated Cumulative Costs of Operations Souther Spear and Absolute Resolve, Aug. 1, 2025 — March 31, 2026 from the paper, "Budgetary Costs of U.S. Military Operations in Venezuela, the Caribbean, and the Eastern Pacific, August 1, 2025 – March 31, 2026"
Image text: From 2020-2024, 54% of the Pentagon's discretionary spending of $4.4 trillion went to military contractors
Image text: As of 2024, there were 950 active lobbyists in the arms industry—220 more than during the lasy years of the war in Afghanistan. That's nearly two lobbyists for every member of Congress.
Headline: $25 Billion (And Counting): The Iran War's Cost, 2 Months In
Infographic from "Beyond the War Paradigm"