The Cost of War
Summary
Search Engine host PJ Vogt interviews Harvard professor Linda Bilmes to audit the hidden financial costs of the U.S. war with Iran. They discuss how emergency appropriations and poor Pentagon accounting obscure the true price of conflict, which includes weapon replacement, veteran care, and infrastructure damage. The episode argues that paying for war through debt rather than taxes removes a crucial deterrent, making perpetual conflict more likely by hiding its economic toll from the public.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Rosetta Stone and Bombas
Upcoming AMA on Reddit
Introduction: The US War with Iran
Guest Intro: Linda Bilmes on War Costs
History of Underestimating War Costs
Pentagon Accounting Failures
Historical Shift: Taxes vs. Deficit
Why We Borrow for Wars Now
Total Cost of Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
Sponsors: Vanguard, Instacart, ProtonVPN
Calculating the Cost of the Iran Conflict
Long-Term Liabilities and Infrastructure Damage
The $200 Billion Request and Drone Asymmetry
Ceasefire, Political Fallout, and Invisible Costs
Sponsors: Alienware, Mint Mobile, Hexclad, Vistaprint
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