--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The war in Iraq has been very, very…" description: "\"The war in Iraq has been very, very expensive - partly because the Administration tried to keep the apparent costs down. But the benefits have been elu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/joseph-stiglitz-1351_destruction_the-war-in-iraq-has-been-very-very-expen_1260425.jpg" --- # The war in Iraq has been very, very expensive - partly… ![“The war in Iraq has been very, very expensive - partly because the Administration tried to keep the apparent costs down. But the benefits have been elusive at best - partly because the ostensible reasons for going war were unconnected with reality - no weapons of mass destruction, no connections…” quote by Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/joseph-stiglitz-1351_destruction_the-war-in-iraq-has-been-very-very-expen_1260425.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/joseph-stiglitz-1351_destruction_the-war-in-iraq-has-been-very-very-expen_1260425.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2a7/joseph-stiglitz-1351_destruction_the-war-in-iraq-has-been-very-very-expen_1260425.jpg) > “The war in Iraq has been very, very expensive - partly because the Administration tried to keep the apparent costs down. But the benefits have been elusive at best - partly because the ostensible reasons for going war were unconnected with reality - no weapons of mass destruction, no connections with 9/11.” [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that the Iraq war was financially draining and failed to deliver promised benefits, citing false pretenses for invasion. **In simple terms:** The war cost a lot and gave little benefit. Key Takeaway Question the true costs of military actions. Themes war economics politics truth policy Mood critical skeptical urgent Type political analytical When to use this quote - budget analysis - policy debate - media literacy - voting decisions - peace activism Key Concepts public finance geopolitics accountability Questions to Reflect On - What are the hidden costs of war? - How can citizens hold governments accountable? A Different Perspective Complex geopolitical factors may oversimplify the issue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Benefits Elusive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits-elusive-4005018/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Elusive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elusive/) [Going War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-war-498646/) [Iraq Expensive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iraq-expensive-4005016/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Iraq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-iraq-287891/) [War Unconnected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-unconnected-4005017/) [Weapons of mass destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weapons-of-mass-destruction/) ## Related quotes > [George Bush sold us on going to war with Iraq based on the threat of weapons of mass destruction. But we still haven't found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/george-bush-sold-us-on-going-to-war-with-iraq-based-on-the-threat-of-2/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [So to recap: we may or may not be going to war with Iraq because Saddam may or may not have weapons of mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-bremner/so-to-recap-we-may-or-may-not-be-going-to-war-with-iraq-because/) [Rory Bremner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-bremner/) > [This too is a jihad. Yet we Americans find ourselves in the dangerous position of going to war not against a state but against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/this-too-is-a-jihad-yet-we-americans-find-ourselves-in-the-dangerous/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [One of the real costs of the war is that our security is actually less than it otherwise would have been - ironic, since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/one-of-the-real-costs-of-the-war-is-that-our-security-is-actually/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [There's no doubt that usually a president's public image is enhanced by going to war. That never did appeal to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-doubt-that-usually-a-president-s-public-image-is-enhanced/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [But they were going to war anyway and they were going to bully and pressure countries to vote for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clare-short/but-they-were-going-to-war-anyway-and-they-were-going-to-bully-and/) [Clare Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clare-short/) > [“Modern war is distinguished by the fact that all the participants are ostensibly unwilling. We are swept towards one another like colonies of heavily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/modern-war-is-distinguished-by-the-fact-that-all-the-participants-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Going to war without France is like going deer hunting without your accordion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gen-h-norman-schwartzkopf/going-to-war-without-france-is-like-going-deer-hunting-without-your/) [Gen H Norman Schwartzkopf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gen-h-norman-schwartzkopf/) > [“Loving you was like going to war; I never came back the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warsan-shire/loving-you-was-like-going-to-war-i-never-came-back-the-same/) [Warsan Shire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warsan-shire/) > [There is one hell of a difference between fighting in the ring and going to war in Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-is-one-hell-of-a-difference-between-fighting-in-the-ring-and/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [If you use weapons of war to bring about peace, you're going to have more war and destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coretta-scott-king/if-you-use-weapons-of-war-to-bring-about-peace-you-re-going-to-have/) [Coretta Scott King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coretta-scott-king/) > [Going to war accelerated the move from indirect to direct rule. Almost any state that makes war finds that it cannot pay for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-tilly/going-to-war-accelerated-the-move-from-indirect-to-direct-rule-almost/) [Charles Tilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-tilly/) > [“For some politics has become a battle ground that allows them to vent their frustrations, while at the same time hide behind the anonymity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/for-some-politics-has-become-a-battle-ground-that-allows-them-to-vent/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [The THE TABLOIDS are always going to be a war for POPULARITY in the CELEB world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/the-the-tabloids-are-always-going-to-be-a-war-for-popularity-in-the/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Going to war against Iran - whether one calls such a move 'surgical' or 'total' - would be an extremely serious undertaking; with worldwide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barr/going-to-war-against-iran-whether-one-calls-such-a-move-surgical-or/) [Bob Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barr/) ## More by Joseph Stiglitz > [I grew up in a family in which political issues were often discussed, and debated intensely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-grew-up-in-a-family-in-which-political-issues-were-often-discussed/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [But individuals and firms spend an enormous amount of resources acquiring information, which affects their beliefs; and actions of others too affect their beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/but-individuals-and-firms-spend-an-enormous-amount-of-resources/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [China, with its large emerging middle class, is among the big beneficiaries of globalization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/china-with-its-large-emerging-middle-class-is-among-the-big/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [Trickle-down economics is a myth. Enriching corporations - as the TPP would - will not necessarily help those in the middle, let alone those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/trickle-down-economics-is-a-myth-enriching-corporations-as-the-tpp/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [Some people say we have this inequality because some people have been contributing much more to our society, and so it's fair that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/some-people-say-we-have-this-inequality-because-some-people-have-been/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [It's actually a tribute to the quality of economics teaching that they have persuaded so many generations of students to believe in so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/it-s-actually-a-tribute-to-the-quality-of-economics-teaching-that/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [In an economy, when the government spends more and invests in the economy, that money circulates, and recirculates again and again. So not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/in-an-economy-when-the-government-spends-more-and-invests-in-the/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [The laws of normal economics dictate that lower taxes combined with increased spending will lead to bigger deficits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-laws-of-normal-economics-dictate-that-lower-taxes-combined-with/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [A less healthy America is not going to be as productive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/a-less-healthy-america-is-not-going-to-be-as-productive/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [As I noted in my Nobel lecture, an early insight in my work on the economics of information concerned the problem of appropriability -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/as-i-noted-in-my-nobel-lecture-an-early-insight-in-my-work-on-the/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [We noted the psychological problems facing many of the returning from Iraq veterans - of the 700,000 returning veterans, more than a 100,000 have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/we-noted-the-psychological-problems-facing-many-of-the-returning-from/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [World War II was really unusual, because America was in the Great Depression before. So the war did help the US economy to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/world-war-ii-was-really-unusual-because-america-was-in-the-great/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [Moreover, because we chose to finance the way by borrowing, our deficits and debt has soared, and this means we have less room for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/moreover-because-we-chose-to-finance-the-way-by-borrowing-our/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [I've always been sceptical about the notion that the market is a person you can engage in an argument with, and that that person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/i-ve-always-been-sceptical-about-the-notion-that-the-market-is-a/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) > [The striking thing about America is - it's historically, extraordinary unusual,I don't of any other instance - is that productivity of workers and wages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stiglitz/the-striking-thing-about-america-is-it-s-historically-extraordinary/) [Joseph Stiglitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) [Explore all 251 Joseph Stiglitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stiglitz/) ## More Destruction quotes > [For not only every democracy, but certainly every republic, bears within itself the seeds of its own destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-not-only-every-democracy-but-certainly-every-republic-bears/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are no white lies, there is only the blackest of destruction, and a white lie is the blackest of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/there-are-no-white-lies-there-is-only-the-blackest-of-destruction-and/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [Perhaps the greatest and least visible form of impoverishment caused by the Corporate State is the destruction of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-reich/perhaps-the-greatest-and-least-visible-form-of-impoverishment-caused/) [Charles A. Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-reich/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Hundreds of millions of human beings on our planet increasingly suffer from unemployment, poverty, hunger, and the destruction of their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-kung/hundreds-of-millions-of-human-beings-on-our-planet-increasingly/) [Hans Kung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-kung/) > [Away with you, water, destruction of wine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catullus/away-with-you-water-destruction-of-wine/) [Catullus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catullus/) > [Some voluntary castaways there will always be, whom no fostering kindness and no parental care can preserve from self-destruction; but if any are lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-southey/some-voluntary-castaways-there-will-always-be-whom-no-fostering/) [Robert Southey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-southey/) > [“You are a lawmaker in your own right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/you-are-a-lawmaker-in-your-own-right/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [ No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb \[Earth\] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-another-planet-could-have-guessed/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [As far as I know, the question of whether and how it could be strategically or morally justified was never the subject of open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-far-as-i-know-the-question-of-whether-and-how-it-could-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is there some lesson on how to be friends? I think what it means is that central to living a life that is good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rakoff/is-there-some-lesson-on-how-to-be-friends-i-think-what-it-means-is/) [David Rakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rakoff/) > [“We're on the eve of destruction. Men have lost all sense of honor. Power has become their faith instead of faith being their power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atiq-rahimi/we-re-on-the-eve-of-destruction-men-have-lost-all-sense-of-honor/) [Atiq Rahimi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atiq-rahimi/) [Browse all 3,161 Destruction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The war in Iraq has been very, very expensive - partly because the Administration tried to keep the apparent costs down. 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