The Costs of War Project

@costsofwar

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.

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The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· 21d

Of the 20 states with economies most dependent on military manufacturing, 14 experience poverty at similar or higher rates than the national average. costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/milita...

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.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· 22d

Read the cultural analysis, "The Militarization of Video Game Culture," part of the Consuming War series. costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/consum...

Text: The horrors of war and the joys of play through video games are seemingly incompatible. But their histories are inextricably linked.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· 22d

Drone operators carry out remote strikes from half a world away using video game-style controllers adopted from popular home game systems.

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".

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· 23d

The U.S. has spent at least $3.4 trillion countering China militarily since 2012. costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/Milita...

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".

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· 26d

The Army spent $117 million in 2023 reviving its iconic “Be All You Can Be” recruitment campaign for social media platforms. By 2024, it had exceeded its recruiting target, enlisting 55,300 new soldiers.

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.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· 27d

Our media fellow Hammi Sylla breaks down how the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant policies are enabled by practices created, tested, and normalized by all three branches of government on a bipartisan basis in the post-9/11 era.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· 29d

As of 2024, there were 950 lobbyists hired by the arms industry. That’s 220 more than in 2020. costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/profit...

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

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jul 13

From 2020 to 2024, private firms received $2.4 trillion in contracts from the Pentagon, approximately 54% of the department’s discretionary spending. The amount that went to contractors could eradicate global hunger for 25 years.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that ending global hunger by 2030 would cost approximately $93 billion a year. $2.4 trillion could completely fund the eradication of global hunger for over 25 years.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jul 9

Read the research, "The Employment Impacts of Cuts to Federal Spending: Not All Cuts Are Created Equal". costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/employ...

Graph: In 2024, at least 61% of the discretionary budget went towards military-related spending.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jul 9

Tax dollars invested in the military are less effective for jobs than investments in education or healthcare. Military spending produces an average of five jobs per $1 million in spending. By contrast, 13 jobs are created for every $1 million in education spending – nearly three times more.

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".

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jul 8

The connections between play, patriotism, and war run deep. Five 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.

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 Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jul 7

The extra U.S. fuel costs associated with the Iran war have surpassed $65.8 billion. That's more than $500 per household. Check out the Iran War Energy Cost Tracker: iranwarcost.watson.brown.edu

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 Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jul 7

The extra fuel costs associated with the Iran war has cost more than $500 per U.S. household. Check out the Iran War Energy Cost Tracker: iranwarcost.watson.brown.edu

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

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jul 2

Read the research, "Profits of War: Top Beneficiaries of Pentagon Spending, 2020 – 2024". costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/profit...

Text: From 2020-2024, 54% of the Pentagon's discretionary spending of $4.4 trillion went to military contractors.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jul 1

Read the report, “Deserted: The U.S. Military's Sexual Assault Crisis as a Cost of War”. costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/desert...

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

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 30

The value of the global market for camouflage is estimated to be worth $5.3 billion. But camo isn’t unique: The military has a presence in virtually every corner of the fashion world. [1/2]

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)

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 29

Over 1/3 of the $108 billion spent on U.S. contractors in Afghanistan since 9/11 went to undisclosed recipients.

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.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 26

Read the report, "How Big Tech and Silicon Valley are Transforming the Military-Industrial Complex". costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/how-bi...

Text: Over the past decade, the center of America's military-industrial complex has been slowly shifting from the Capital Beltway to Silicon Valley.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 26

A growing portion of the Defense Department’s spending is going to large, well-known tech firms, including some of the most highly valued corporations in the world.

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".

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 25

The U.S. has spent an average of $260 billion a year countering China militarily since President Obama’s “Pivot to Asia”. Upgrading key U.S. infrastructure would cost 1/10 of what the U.S. has spent on military competition with China since 2012.

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.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 24

A new UN report concludes that the Israeli army deliberately targeted children in Gaza and the West Bank, and features testimony from Costs of War contributor Dr. Mimi Syed highlighted in our latest report. [1/2] www.ohchr.org/en/press-rel...

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.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 22

Over 2,500 war-themed movies and TV programs have been made with Pentagon assistance. After 9/11, the Pentagon collaborated on movies such as Zero Dark Thirty and Lone Survivor, and TV shows including 24, NCIS, and SEAL Team.

Image text: Over 2,500 war-themed movies and TV programs have been made with Pentagon assistance.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 15

Read the research, "The Long-Term Costs of United States Care for Veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars." costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/long-t...

Image: The total costs of caring for veterans of the post-9/11 wars are estimated to reach $2.2 - $2.5 trillion.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 15

The costs of caring for post-9/11 war vets will reach between $2.2 and $2.5 trillion by 2050 – most of which has not yet been paid.

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.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 12

Between 2021 and 2023, the U.S. government conducted counterterrorism operations in 78 countries. costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/united...

Map: United States Counterterrorism Operations, 2021-2023 from the report, "United States Counterterrorism Operations Under the Biden Administration, 2021-2023"

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 11

Check out the Iran War Energy Cost Tracker from @watsonschoolbrown.bsky.social's Climate Solutions Lab. iranwarcost.watson.brown.edu

Screenshot of the Iran War Energy Cost Tracker

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 11

"Energy prices were once again responsible for the increase in the consumer price index," notes reporting from The Guardian. People in the U.S. have paid an extra $57 billion in fuel costs since the start of the war in Iran. www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Headline from The Guardian: Trump says 'I love the inflation' as rate rises to 4.2% amid Iran war pressure

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 10

Over the course of the war in Afghanistan (2001-2021), 24% of U.S. women service members and 1.9% of men experienced sexual assault.

Since 9/11, on average 24% of U.S. women service members and 1.9% of men experienced sexual assault.

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· Jun 5

Between August 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026, U.S. military operations in Venezuela, the Caribbean, and the Eastern Pacific — comprising Operation Southern Spear and Operation Absolute Resolve — cost U.S. taxpayers at least $4.7 billion. costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/papers/boats...

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".

The Costs of War Project@costsofwar· May 28

Read the research, "Profits of War: Top Beneficiaries of Pentagon Spending, 2020 – 2024". costsofwar.watson.brown.edu/paper/profit...