It is estimated that the cost of the war on iraq will soon approach the $1 trillion mark. Thats minus the priceless lives lost.
The USA also spends and estimated $350 Billion on R&D for its 'defence', every year.



If, just the money spent on Iraq, was used to for solar panels, at $3 per watt, we would have a 333 billion watt solar farm. Every year, a 1 watt solar cell produces a relative output of 2.2kw/hr. This means that, the 333 billion dollar solar panels, could produce an effective yearly output 732.6 trllion W/hrs, or 732.6TW/hrs of electricity.

The above does not take into account the yearly cost spent on 'defence'. If we were to factor that in, in 10 years time, we could have a fully renewable country, or maybe even earth.

Instead of fighting for 'oil', they could of peacefully transitioned to solar.
Just imagine every country did this.

Thoughts and comments below.

Re:: The first half question of this thread is interesting. i.e.
THE COST OF THE WAR (IN DOLLARS)

Aurstralia just withdrew 33% of its forces, the new PM says the country paid 2.2 billion. So the whole cost of the war would have to consider these other nations, like Great Britain.

3 weeks ago the US Congress approved 167 billion to pay from the war from now to Jan. 2009.

Lots of the costs of the war are hidden so it may forever be impossible to tell, but folks talk of the war costing A Trillion Dollars but that's actually conservative and some say it will be a 3-4 Trillion Dollar War...

Military cost commonly are 300% more than they budget for and the cost of medical care for vets is unpredictable.

I saw one number that said $1,745.00 was the current cost per person in the USA.

Some say 375 million dollars (conservative) to 720 million dollars a day.

Oil contracts are now being given out by the US controlled Iraq government to selected oil companies and this will probably give a monopoly and supply advantages to the most prefered companies.

INFLATION is one way, BTW, for government to pay these bills, by paying them back with cheaper money. Plus, folks figure all our grandkids will still be paying off the debts. That s why the USD is going downhill, cheaper money, easier payback.