The War on Terror
September 2001 – Present (23+ years and counting)
$8+ trillion. 900,000+ dead. 38 million displaced. 85+ countries. The longest, most expensive, and most geographically dispersed military campaign in American history — with no end in sight.
The Forever War
On September 14, 2001, Congress passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force — 60 words that have been used to justify military operations in more than 20 countries, against enemies that didn't exist on 9/11, in places most Americans can't find on a map. Only one member of Congress voted no: Representative Barbara Lee, who warned that the resolution was a “blank check” for endless war. She was exactly right.
“Let us not become the evil that we deplore.”
— Rep. Barbara Lee, September 14, 2001 (sole vote against the AUMF)
What began as a targeted response to the 9/11 attacks metastasized into a global military campaign spanning multiple continents, dozens of countries, and nearly a quarter-century. Along the way, it has cost $8+ trillion, killed hundreds of thousands of people, created the conditions for ISIS, destabilized multiple countries, eroded civil liberties at home, and failed to achieve any of its stated objectives.
The War on Terror cannot be won because “terror” is not an enemy — it's a tactic. You cannot declare victory over a method of warfare. The war was designed, whether intentionally or not, to be permanent. And so it is.
$8+ Trillion and Counting
Cumulative cost includes direct spending, veterans care, interest, and Homeland Security increases. Source: Costs of War Project, Brown University.
| Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan (direct) | $2.3T |
| Iraq (direct) | $3T |
| Syria / ISIS Campaign | $0.2T |
| Other GWOT Operations | $0.4T |
| Homeland Security Increase | $1.1T |
| Veterans Care (projected) | $2.2T |
| Interest on War Debt | $1.1T |
| Total | $10.3T+ |
Cost by Conflict
Annual War Spending by Theater
“Other GWOT” includes operations in Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Niger, Libya, Philippines, and dozens of other countries — many classified.
All Post-9/11 Conflicts
Afghanistan War
The longest war in US history. 20 years, Taliban wins anyway.
2,461 US / 176,000+ total
Iraq War
Built on WMD lies. Created ISIS. Destabilized the Middle East.
4,599 US / 200,000+ Iraqi civilians
Pakistan Drone Campaign
Undeclared air war in a sovereign allied nation.
3,000+ killed (incl. civilians)
Yemen Operations
Drone strikes + Saudi war support = worst humanitarian crisis.
377,000+ total (war + famine)
Somalia (AFRICOM)
Ongoing military operations with minimal oversight.
1,000+ killed by US strikes
Libya Intervention
NATO bombing turned a country into a failed state.
30,000+ in civil war
Syria / ISIS Campaign
War against the monster the Iraq War created.
13,000+ killed by coalition
Niger & Sahel
Shadow wars across West Africa most Americans don't know about.
Classified
Global Drone Campaign
Remote-control killing in 7+ countries without declarations of war.
10,000+ killed
Red Sea / Houthi Campaign
The newest front in the forever war.
Ongoing
Timeline
9/11 Attacks
Al-Qaeda attacks kill 2,977 Americans. The US declares a "Global War on Terror." Congress passes the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) — 60 words that will be used to justify military operations in 20+ countries for 20+ years.
Afghanistan Invasion
US invades Afghanistan to destroy al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban. Initial mission succeeds quickly. Bin Laden escapes at Tora Bora. Instead of leaving, the US stays for nation-building. The 20-year war begins.
Iraq Invasion
Based on fabricated WMD intelligence, the US invades Iraq. Quick military victory, catastrophic occupation. 200,000+ Iraqi civilians will die. The Iraq War becomes the most disastrous foreign policy decision since Vietnam — possibly ever.
Drone Wars Begin
CIA begins systematic drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal areas. The program will expand to Yemen, Somalia, Libya, and beyond. No declarations of war, minimal oversight, unknown civilian casualties. The "disposition matrix" — the kill list — becomes a permanent feature.
Multiple Fronts
Iraq descends into civil war. Afghanistan deteriorates. Secret operations expand across Africa and the Middle East. JSOC conducts raids in dozens of countries. The war on terror metastasizes from two countries to dozens.
Bin Laden Killed / Libya / Arab Spring
Bin Laden found and killed in Pakistan — vindication of the intelligence approach, not the trillion-dollar wars. But instead of ending, the war expands: Libya intervention creates a failed state. Operations spread across North Africa.
ISIS Rises
The Islamic State — a direct product of the Iraq War — conquers Mosul and declares a caliphate. The US returns to Iraq and begins bombing Syria. A new generation of "forever war" begins.
Expansion and Exhaustion
US military operates in at least 85 countries. Special Operations forces deploy to 149 countries. Niger ambush kills 4 US soldiers — most Americans didn't know troops were there. Public learns the war on terror has spread far beyond Iraq and Afghanistan.
Afghanistan Falls
Taliban reconquers Afghanistan in 11 days. 20 years, $2.3 trillion, 2,461 US dead — right back where it started. The chaotic withdrawal symbolizes the failure of the entire enterprise.
Still Going
US forces remain in Iraq, Syria, Somalia, and dozens of other countries. Red Sea operations against Houthis open yet another front. The 2001 AUMF remains in effect. The war on terror is approaching its 25th year with no end in sight.
60 Words That Enabled Endless War
This single sentence — the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force — has been cited to justify military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Niger, the Philippines, and dozens of other countries against groups that didn't exist on 9/11. It has no sunset clause, no geographic limitation, and no defined endpoint.
Congress has never voted to declare war on any of the post-9/11 conflicts. The AUMF allows the president to wage war anywhere, against anyone deemed an “associated force” of al-Qaeda — a term with no legal definition and no limit. It is the blank check Barbara Lee warned about.
What the War on Terror Has Actually Achieved
More Terrorism, Not Less
The number of terrorist groups has grown, not shrunk. The war created ISIS. Anti-American sentiment has increased worldwide. The conditions that breed terrorism — instability, civilian casualties, foreign occupation — have been amplified by the war meant to eliminate them.
Eroded Civil Liberties
Mass surveillance (NSA), indefinite detention (Guantánamo), torture program (CIA black sites), the PATRIOT Act, militarized police, and the normalization of executive war-making without congressional authorization.
Failed States
Afghanistan: back to Taliban. Iraq: dysfunctional, Iranian-influenced. Libya: failed state with open slave markets. Yemen: worst humanitarian crisis. Syria: destroyed. Every country the US intervened in is worse off.
$8 Trillion Opportunity Cost
$8 trillion could have funded universal healthcare, eliminated student debt, rebuilt all US infrastructure, and funded a decade of climate transition. Instead, it bought 20 years of failed wars and a generation of traumatized veterans.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much has the War on Terror cost?
The Costs of War Project at Brown University estimates the total cost at $8+ trillion through 2023, including $2.3T for Afghanistan, $3T+ for Iraq, $2.2T in projected veterans care, $1.1T in Homeland Security increases, and $1.1T+ in interest on war debt. All post-9/11 wars were financed entirely by borrowing.
How many people have died in the War on Terror?
At least 900,000 people have been killed directly by war violence, including 7,074 US military, 8,189 US contractors, and hundreds of thousands of civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, and other countries. When indirect deaths from war-caused displacement, disease, and famine are included, the total may exceed 4.5 million.
How many countries is the US fighting in?
US counterterrorism operations span at least 85 countries, according to the Costs of War Project. These range from full-scale wars (Iraq, Afghanistan) to drone strikes (Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia) to training missions, special operations raids, and intelligence operations across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Has the War on Terror made America safer?
The evidence is mixed at best. While no 9/11-scale attack has occurred on US soil, the war on terror has: created ISIS, destabilized multiple countries, created millions of refugees, generated anti-American sentiment worldwide, cost $8+ trillion that could have been invested in actual security, and expanded government surveillance of US citizens. The number of terrorist groups has increased, not decreased, since 2001.
When will the War on Terror end?
There is no defined end point. The 2001 AUMF has no sunset clause, no geographic limitation, and no defined enemy beyond "associated forces" — a term the executive branch interprets broadly. Without congressional action to repeal the AUMF or presidents willing to end operations, the war on terror will continue indefinitely. It is, by design, a forever war.
Related Pages
Sources
- Costs of War Project, Watson Institute, Brown University — 20 Years of War
- Congressional Research Service — Post-9/11 War Costs
- Department of Defense — Casualty Statistics for GWOT
- Bureau of Investigative Journalism — Drone Strike Database
- UNHCR — Displacement from Post-9/11 Wars
- Stephanie Savell — The Costs of United States Post-9/11 Counterterrorism Wars
- Spencer Ackerman — Reign of Terror (Viking, 2021)