The Iraq War: Still a Massive Mistake | Malou Innocent | Cato Institute: Commentary

The Iraq War: Still a Massive Mistake | Malou Innocent | Cato Institute: Commentary: "The broad consensus is that the war has cost the US economy well over $700 billion – with the meter still running. The Iraq war has also left nearly 4,400 American troops dead, more than 31,000 physically disabled, and countless more psychologically traumatized.

According to most estimates, more than 100,000 Iraqis have been killed since the invasion. More than 2 million displaced Iraqi Sunnis, who fled into neighboring Jordan and Syria, are adding instability to an already politically precarious region of the world.

The war also upset the regional balance of power, as it substantially strengthened Iran's influence in Iraq and severely limited US policy options toward Tehran's clerical regime."