Charles Stross says we could have started to colonize Mars with the Iraq war money we've already spent. It would be much cooler to have bases on Mars instead of Fallujah. Plus, there was that whole debate here that said we should go to mars.

http://www.createdebate.com/debate/show/ Missions_to_Mars:_NASA_fantasy

Let's wrap some numbers around this debate:

According to federal documents, in dollars & cents the Iraq War has already cost upwards of $523 Billion. This number does not include human or other opportunity costs (which, I assume are staggering).

Here is how that number breaks down:

$4,681 per household.

$1,721 per person.

$341.4 million per day.

Could you imagine the world of difference we could have made if that money was pumped into clean energy, infrastructure and education? I think I just shed a tear.

Wiping my ass. At least no one is likely to have died that way. And if I wiped my butt on billions of dollars, you'd know exactly whose fault it was. Much of that butt-wiped-cash could be fished from the sewer system by the poor and washed thereby allowing them to buy food, clothes, and decent houses. The rest would wash through the system out to sea and ride the thermals to third-world countries where they could feed an entire village for a single hundred-dollar bill. Poor fisher men would find million-dollar bills in fishes' bellies and sell the book and movie rights. Oceans would be cleansed just so they could find the post-sewage money. Low lights would be common as people stare at The Butt That Wiped Trillions on TV, so electricity would be saved. Folks would get out of work early, just to hear about My Rich Ass so they'd be less stressed, eat less junk food, and be less ill. Closeted Gay politicians would say "Now THAT'S an ass!" and out themselves thereby avoiding ongoing abuse of youths. Parents would tell their kids, "When you grow up, you could have an ass that wipes with cold, hard, cash, too, if you eat your veggies, study hard, and go to bed early." Everyone everywhere would rejoice at the changes in the world just from wiping my butt with money NOT spent on war.

In the words of the late great Bill Hicks:

"You know all that money we spend on nuclear weapons and defense each year, trillions of dollars, correct? Instead -- just play with this -- if we spent that money feeding and clothing the poor of the world -- and it would pay for it many times over, not one human being excluded -- we can explore space together, both inner and outer, forever in peace."

Bush has a different vision. He thought that was necessary to protect America. He went to church before making the decision. We were not in his shoes so it's hard to discuss!

Research into alternatives for oil as used in manufacturing and fuels.

Create a booming Iraqi economy and pay for schools and hospitals there. Saddam would have sold Iraqi oil for a good price, and no Iraqi would ever want to harm America.

With the money from the war the U.S. could've provided AIDS treatment and prevention for every single person in Africa. Save people, don't kill them.

I can find a few ways it could be more, or equally, useful...

1. Ice cream for everyone everyday!

2. Money pool so we could swim into it like Scrooge McDuck...

3. Giving it all to... me

Jokes aside, I just think the Iraq war money is a huge waste and just about anything would be better. The only way to waste money better than by throwing it down the drain is to use it to destroy a country.

Paying for young people's education, eradicating the national debt by not spending it (a lot of money used was money the US didn't have to begin with, and shouldn't have been used), grabbing a technological edge over the Asian countries, better healthcare, etc... Whatever's on the list is good.

To help out the needy person is the best use of this money. Its my idea whether you accept it or not?

According to my point of view, used it for the development purposes of the country.

Used that money for the charity purpose. Its the best way to help out the poor.