The Cost of 9/11 ["it makes $87 billion pale by comparison"]

DoD - Prepared Statement for the Senate Appropriations Committee ^ | Sept. 24, 2003 | Sec. of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

United States Department of Defense Speech On the web: http://www.defenselink.mil/speeches/2003/sp20030924-secdef0462.html

Prepared Statement for the Senate Appropriations Committee

(Excerpt from) Prepared Testimony of Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, Washington, DC, Wednesday, September 24, 2003.

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Finally, let me conclude by recalling why we are spending that money.

The Wall Street Journal recently tallied the costs to our country and economy, of the September 11th attacks.

They include:

$7.8 billion in lost income for the families of the more than 3,000 victims-money that would have gone to pay for braces and summer camps, schools and colleges.

$21 billion sent to New York City for direct damage costs.

$4 billion for the victims fund.

$18 billion to clean up the World Trade Center site.

$700 million to repair the Pentagon.

As much as $6.4 billion in reduced or lost wages and salaries for workers in New York industries.

1.3 million net jobs lost nationwide.

$150 billion in reduced GDP.

$50 billion in costs to the insurance industry.

$11 billion in lost business to the airline industry.

The bankruptcy of two airlines, even after a $15 billion federal bailout.

$38 billion in costs for new border security, protection against biological threats, and emergency preparedness.

$1.3 billion in costs to state governments for homeland security, and

$33 billion in spending by the private sector for new protective services.

Even assuming for some overlap, the 9/11 attack alone cost the American people literally hundreds of billions of dollars-and that is not counting the enormous price paid in lives, and the immense suffering of their families and loved ones-men and women from all walks of life, of all races and religions, and from most countries of the world.

If September 11th cost more than three thousand lives and hundreds of billions of dollars, it makes $87 billion pale by comparison.

Our nation can afford whatever it needs to defend our people, our way of life and our vital interests. At the height of the Cold War, in the Eisenhower and Kennedy years, we spent roughly 10% of GDP. The last time I was Secretary of Defense, in the 1970s, we spent roughly 5% of GDP on defense. Today, we spend a little over 3%-a great deal of money, to be sure, but a modest fraction of our nation's wealth.

Our job is to work to prevent another attack like the one we experienced on September 11th - before it happens. There is only one way to do so - by taking the battle to the terrorists, and those who give them support and sanctuary.

As President Bush told the UN yesterday, "events during the past two years have set before us the clearest of divides: between those who seek order, and those who spread chaos... between those who honor the rights of man, and those who deliberately take the lives of men and women and children without mercy or shame. Between these alternatives there is no neutral ground.... Because a coalition of nations acted... Iraq is free... [and] people are safer because an unstable aggressor has been removed from power."

To defend freedom in the 21st century, we need to root out the terrorists. We need to make clear to the world's terrorist states that defying 17 UN resolutions, filing false declarations with the UN, refusing to cooperate with UN inspectors, and refusing to disarm and prove to the world you have done so, has consequences. We need to help the now free people in Iraq and Afghanistan rebuild from the rubble of tyranny, and claim their places as responsible members of the community of nations.

A British author once declared: "If a nation values anything more than freedom, it will lose its freedom; and the irony is that if it is comfort or money that it values more, it will lose that too."

Is $87 billion a great deal of money? Yes. But can we afford it? Without question. Because it is necessary for the security of our nation and the stability of the world-and because the price of sending terrorist a message that we are not willing to spend what it takes or do what it takes-that we value comfort or money more than freedom-would be far greater.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

8 Prepared Statement for the Senate Appropriations Committee ~ Hipixs' FR thread

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Perspective from today's briefing. The WSJ $$ estimates for 9/11/01, and some historical perspective on the price of national defense.

At the height of the Cold War, in the Eisenhower and Kennedy years, we spent roughly 10% of GDP. The last time I was Secretary of Defense, in the 1970s, we spent roughly 5% of GDP on defense. Today, we spend a little over 3%-a great deal of money, to be sure, but a modest fraction of our nation’s wealth.

 Thanks, Tonkin!

If you want on or off my Pro-Coalition ping list, please Freepmail me. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days. (Most days are good days).

[joesnuffy]

Its about time we recoup our losses from those nations who did this to us
Saudi Arabia...Iraq...whoever...

[Huck]

for your consideration.

[mewzilla]

Thanks for the post!

[Ex-Dem]

I'm a little irritated with the way the media is covering the briefing.

Most of them are using the headline "Rumsfeld Tells Senators $87 Billion Iraq Request Affordable", as if he's frivolously asking for more money. $87 bil is going to look like pocket change if we get by another full scale Al Qaeda attack.

[tsmith130]

The perspective some people need. Thank, RC!

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Inspectorette]

I love Rummy - he is a hero.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

Even assuming for some overlap, the 9/11 attack alone cost the American people literally hundreds of billions of dollars-and that is not counting the enormous price paid in lives, and the immense suffering of their families and loved ones

The "hundreds of billions" estimate hinges primarily on the $150 billion estimate for lost GNP, and that is a pretty iffy number. Not saying it might not have been even more but still, no one really can know.

The money being requested is for a Marshall Plan to check Islamasism rather than Stalinism. And to do it far from home, where the casualties will be young men who are at least armed and expecting to have to defend themselves.

[princess leah]

Let's see the Democrats in our house and senate's tax returns and how much they "contributed" to charitable organizations and then ask the big question "Are YOU giving all you can to help America?" The answer is one they DON'T want Americans to know!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

The money being requested is for a Marshall Plan to check Islamasism rather than Stalinism. And to do it far from home, where the casualties will be young men who are at least armed and expecting to have to defend themselves.

Ping!

[BOBTHENAILER]

Hope you got to see the comments from Domenici and Bennet on the lead-in to the Fox News All-Stars segment on the negative press bias, tonight.

PRICELESS.

[blackie]

Rumsfeld Tells It Like It Is!

[windchime]

Bump!

[Valin]

In the meantime Washington doesn't think twice about 400 Billion for the prescription drug plan.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Finally catching up, some. Thanks for the heads up, Bob. Sorry I missed the comments from our Republican Senators. They've been shut out of the press along with the good news from Iraq.

Day 3 since the UN conference when it became clear our nation under this President is going to finish the job in Iraq - and the good news is still flowing.

Past the tipping point? We won. Everyone now knows it - and most know it was a just cause.

Who are the Dems. appealing to, Mullah Omar and Fidel Castro?

[BOBTHENAILER]

Past the tipping point? We won. Everyone now knows it - and most know it was a just cause.

Who are the Dems. appealing to, Mullah Omar and Fidel Castro?

Good question, their pandering to the extreme left will hurt 'em in the long run.

Efforts by people such as you and Diogenesis, John Huang2 and others are being heard.

I email the cream to my boys in school and the families of friends in the service.

The feedback I get is VERY heartening. Keep up the great work, my FRiends, it is getting wide dissemination.

[Susannah]

"At the height of the Cold War, in the Eisenhower and Kennedy years, we spent roughly 10% of GDP. The last time I was Secretary of Defense, in the 1970s, we spent roughly 5% of GDP on defense. Today, we spend a little over 3%-a great deal of money, to be sure, but a modest fraction of our nation's wealth."

I wonder what percentage of GDP was spent on defense during WW2.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Bernard Kerick talking about the need for the $87 billion on Sean Hannity's radio show today, mentioning the 9-11 $$ comparison.

Our troops need the money now. Our enemies know this - including members of the DNC and partisan press who distracted everyone from what should have been the #1 priority in DC last week.

If you still don't know why, Freepmail me. Then, please contact your elected reps and ask them to support our heroes!