The Cost of War
America's War on Terror Displaced 37 Million People
Brown University’s Costs of War project released a study which states that it is the first analysis to comprehensively measure the number of people forced to flee their homes as a result wars involving the United States since 2001. It states that 37 million people have been displaced by America’s Global War On Terror and that estimate is likely conservative with the true figure possibly as high as 59 million.
Estimated Number of People Displaced by U.S. Wars Post 9/11
CIVILIAN DEATHS
U.S. Airstrikes Killed at Least 22,000 Civilians Since 9/11
“Based on our comprehensive review of credible sources, we found at least 22,679 civilians were likely directly killed by US strikes since 9/11, with that number potentially as high as 48,308.” — AirWars.org
Potentially 48,308 Civilians Have Been Killed by U.S. Strikes
“The gap between these two figures reflects the many unknowns when it comes to civilian harm in war. Belligerents rarely track the effects of their own actions – and even then do so poorly. It is left to local communities, civil society and international agencies to count the costs. Multiple sources can however suggest different numbers of fatalities, meaning that monitoring organisations like Airwars will record both minimum and maximum estimates.” — AirWars.org
America's Longest Foreign Wars
Length of U.S. involvement in foreign military conflicts as of April 2021. The precise length of the Vietnam War is disputed. List excludes military interventions and occupations.
U.S. MILITARY SPENDING
The United States was the top nation in 2021 in terms of military expenditure, spending $801 billion. America has been the top military spending nation since SIPRI began tracking in 1949.
2017-2021 Spending in Billions of Dollars
2017-2021 Top 5 Comparison
2021 U.S. versus the World
United States military spending make up almost 38% of global military spending in 2021, and makes up more than 30% of the world’s military spending for the last two decades.
2021 Top 10 Comparison
U.S. military spending for 2021 was more than every other country in the top 10 combined.










2022 Military Spending by Country
Country | Area (km) | Population (m) | Per Capita | GDP (bn) | % of GDP | Spending (bn) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | 9147420 | 338.29 | 2240.11 | 19485.39 | 3.85 | 750.00 |
China | 9424703 | 1425.89 | 163.62 | 12237.70 | 1.94 | 237.00 |
Saudi Arabia | 2149690 | 36.41 | 1885.90 | 686.74 | 9.84 | 67.60 |
India | 2973190 | 1417.17 | 43.37 | 2650.73 | 2.30 | 61.00 |
United Kingdom | 241930 | 67.51 | 804.40 | 2637.87 | 2.09 | 55.10 |
Germany | 349390 | 83.37 | 596.06 | 3693.20 | 1.35 | 50.00 |
Japan | 364500 | 123.95 | 390.17 | 4872.42 | 1.01 | 49.00 |
Russia | 16376870 | 144.71 | 329.20 | 1578.42 | 3.04 | 48.00 |
South Korea | 97600 | 51.82 | 857.20 | 1530.75 | 2.87 | 44.00 |
France | 547557 | 64.63 | 632.77 | 2582.50 | 1.61 | 41.50 |
Brazil | 8358140 | 215.31 | 129.09 | 2053.59 | 1.35 | 27.80 |
Italy | 295717 | 59.04 | 461.31 | 1943.84 | 1.43 | 27.80 |
Australia | 7692020 | 26.18 | 1008.87 | 1323.42 | 1.99 | 26.30 |
United Arab Emirates | 71020 | 9.44 | 2256.54 | 382.58 | 5.95 | 22.76 |
Canada | 8965590 | 38.45 | 586.11 | 1647.12 | 1.37 | 22.50 |
Israel | 21640 | 9.04 | 2241.43 | 353.27 | 5.66 | 20.00 |
Iran | 1622500 | 88.55 | 227.85 | 454.01 | 4.32 | 19.60 |
Turkey | 783562 | 85.34 | 222.06 | 851.55 | 2.23 | 19.00 |
Spain | 499557 | 47.56 | 323.21 | 1314.31 | 1.15 | 15.10 |
Algeria | 2381741 | 44.90 | 286.66 | 167.56 | 7.76 | 13.00 |
Netherlands | 33670 | 17.56 | 721.61 | 830.57 | 1.50 | 12.42 |
Afghanistan | 652230 | 41.13 | 294.45 | 19.54 | 61.40 | 12.00 |
Poland | 306130 | 39.86 | 317.97 | 526.47 | 2.28 | 12.00 |
Pakistan | 770880 | 235.82 | 49.68 | 304.95 | 3.74 | 11.40 |
Egypt | 995450 | 110.99 | 105.50 | 235.37 | 4.76 | 11.20 |
Singapore | 718 | 5.98 | 1884.40 | 323.91 | 3.46 | 11.20 |
Taiwan | 36197 | 23.89 | 448.75 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 10.73 |
Colombia | 1109500 | 51.87 | 205.77 | 314.46 | 3.37 | 10.60 |
Morocco | 446300 | 37.46 | 264.74 | 109.71 | 9.12 | 10.00 |
Oman | 309500 | 4.58 | 1632.23 | 70.78 | 12.28 | 8.69 |
Indonesia | 1877519 | 275.50 | 27.23 | 1015.42 | 0.75 | 7.60 |
Norway | 364285 | 5.43 | 1302.76 | 399.49 | 1.80 | 7.18 |
Thailand | 510890 | 71.70 | 101.32 | 455.30 | 1.56 | 7.10 |
Mexico | 1943950 | 127.50 | 53.21 | 1150.89 | 0.61 | 7.00 |
Angola | 1246700 | 35.59 | 199.84 | 122.12 | 5.73 | 7.00 |
Kuwait | 17820 | 4.27 | 1559.24 | 120.13 | 5.69 | 6.83 |
Sweden | 407284 | 10.55 | 619.44 | 535.61 | 1.18 | 6.33 |
Qatar | 11490 | 2.70 | 2013.48 | 166.93 | 3.59 | 6.00 |
Vietnam | 313429 | 98.19 | 55.58 | 223.78 | 2.46 | 5.50 |
Ukraine | 579400 | 39.70 | 125.02 | 112.15 | 4.81 | 5.40 |
Romania | 230080 | 19.66 | 265.35 | 211.88 | 2.38 | 5.05 |
Switzerland | 39516 | 8.74 | 569.89 | 678.97 | 0.74 | 5.00 |
Uruguay | 175020 | 3.42 | 1415.90 | 56.16 | 0.81 | 4.95 |
Belgium | 30280 | 11.66 | 421.66 | 494.76 | 0.99 | 4.92 |
Greece | 128900 | 10.38 | 469.15 | 203.09 | 2.38 | 4.84 |
Denmark | 40000 | 5.88 | 815.77 | 329.87 | 1.44 | 4.76 |
New Zealand | 263310 | 5.19 | 877.87 | 204.14 | 2.11 | 4.30 |
South Africa | 1213090 | 59.89 | 70.45 | 348.87 | 1.23 | 4.28 |
Chile | 743532 | 19.60 | 220.78 | 277.08 | 1.53 | 4.25 |
Argentina | 2736690 | 45.51 | 91.28 | 637.43 | 0.66 | 4.20 |
Malaysia | 328550 | 33.94 | 120.55 | 314.71 | 1.27 | 4.00 |
Kazakhstan | 2699700 | 19.40 | 208.28 | 162.89 | 2.46 | 4.00 |
Bangladesh | 130170 | 171.19 | 27.00 | 460.00 | 1.00 | 3.80 |
Finland | 303940 | 5.54 | 642.67 | 252.30 | 1.41 | 3.57 |
Philippines | 298170 | 115.56 | 30.84 | 313.60 | 1.11 | 3.47 |
Austria | 82520 | 8.94 | 372.79 | 416.84 | 0.81 | 3.38 |
Portugal | 91606 | 10.27 | 331.34 | 219.31 | 1.53 | 3.36 |
Libya | 1759540 | 6.81 | 426.09 | 38.11 | 7.87 | 3.00 |
Czech Republic | 77199 | 10.49 | 276.62 | 215.91 | 1.38 | 2.97 |
Azerbaijan | 82646 | 10.36 | 272.81 | 40.75 | 6.90 | 2.81 |
Myanmar | 652670 | 54.18 | 47.98 | 67.07 | 3.95 | 2.65 |
Jordan | 88794 | 11.29 | 252.41 | 40.07 | 6.49 | 2.60 |
Peru | 1280000 | 34.05 | 76.00 | 211.39 | 1.21 | 2.56 |
Sri Lanka | 61860 | 21.83 | 115.87 | 87.36 | 2.86 | 2.50 |
Ecuador | 248360 | 18.00 | 138.02 | 104.30 | 2.40 | 2.50 |
Lebanon | 10230 | 5.49 | 373.98 | 53.58 | 4.67 | 2.50 |
Sudan | 1868000 | 46.87 | 53.70 | 117.49 | 2.10 | 2.47 |
Nigeria | 910770 | 218.54 | 9.92 | 375.75 | 0.57 | 2.16 |
Slovakia | 49035 | 5.64 | 388.26 | 95.62 | 2.22 | 2.12 |
Hungary | 91260 | 9.97 | 216.53 | 139.76 | 1.49 | 2.08 |
Syria | 183630 | 22.13 | 92.95 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.80 |
Iraq | 434128 | 44.50 | 41.03 | 192.06 | 0.90 | 1.73 |
North Korea | 120410 | 26.07 | 61.56 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.60 |
Tajikistan | 138790 | 9.95 | 160.68 | 7.15 | 22.39 | 1.60 |
Bahrain | 785 | 1.47 | 795.97 | 35.43 | 4.01 | 1.42 |
Yemen | 527970 | 33.70 | 44.94 | 31.27 | 4.48 | 1.40 |
Armenia | 28470 | 2.78 | 467.70 | 11.54 | 12.05 | 1.39 |
Lithuania | 62620 | 2.75 | 417.03 | 47.54 | 2.33 | 1.11 |
Bulgaria | 108560 | 6.78 | 157.79 | 58.22 | 1.86 | 1.08 |
Uzbekistan | 440650 | 34.63 | 28.36 | 49.68 | 1.96 | 0.98 |
Uganda | 200520 | 47.25 | 19.31 | 26.00 | 3.60 | 0.94 |
Serbia | 87460 | 7.22 | 104.82 | 41.43 | 2.19 | 0.91 |
Ireland | 68890 | 5.02 | 173.30 | 331.43 | 0.26 | 0.87 |
Croatia | 55960 | 4.03 | 197.08 | 55.21 | 1.45 | 0.80 |
Dominican Republic | 48310 | 11.23 | 68.74 | 75.93 | 1.00 | 0.76 |
Venezuela | 882050 | 28.30 | 25.46 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.75 |
Latvia | 62230 | 1.85 | 391.60 | 30.46 | 2.38 | 0.72 |
Republic of the Congo | 341500 | 5.97 | 123.32 | 8.70 | 8.22 | 0.72 |
Ghana | 227533 | 33.48 | 21.92 | 59.00 | 1.20 | 0.71 |
Estonia | 42750 | 1.33 | 518.19 | 26.61 | 2.57 | 0.69 |
Bolivia | 1083300 | 12.22 | 55.03 | 37.51 | 1.76 | 0.66 |
Cambodia | 176520 | 16.77 | 35.18 | 22.16 | 2.73 | 0.60 |
Slovenia | 20136 | 2.12 | 279.59 | 48.77 | 1.19 | 0.58 |
Ivory Coast | 318000 | 28.16 | 19.83 | 37.35 | 1.47 | 0.55 |
Tunisia | 155360 | 12.36 | 45.66 | 39.95 | 1.38 | 0.55 |
Namibia | 823290 | 2.57 | 191.73 | 13.25 | 3.81 | 0.51 |
Cuba | 103800 | 11.21 | 44.23 | 96.85 | 0.52 | 0.50 |
Panama | 74180 | 4.41 | 112.44 | 62.28 | 0.80 | 0.50 |
Botswana | 566730 | 2.63 | 184.34 | 17.41 | 2.59 | 0.45 |
Ethiopia | 1128571 | 123.38 | 2.90 | 80.56 | 0.43 | 0.35 |
Cameroon | 472710 | 27.91 | 12.43 | 34.92 | 0.99 | 0.35 |
Georgia | 69490 | 3.74 | 82.39 | 15.08 | 2.17 | 0.33 |
Paraguay | 397300 | 6.78 | 34.22 | 39.67 | 0.63 | 0.25 |
Albania | 27400 | 2.84 | 87.22 | 13.04 | 1.92 | 0.25 |
Mozambique | 786380 | 32.97 | 7.40 | 12.65 | 1.94 | 0.25 |
Guatemala | 107160 | 17.84 | 12.91 | 75.62 | 0.32 | 0.24 |
Tanzania | 885800 | 65.50 | 3.52 | 53.32 | 0.42 | 0.22 |
Nepal | 143350 | 30.55 | 7.05 | 24.88 | 0.86 | 0.21 |
Honduras | 111890 | 10.43 | 20.06 | 22.98 | 0.89 | 0.21 |
Chad | 1259200 | 17.72 | 11.49 | 9.87 | 2.03 | 0.20 |
Turkmenistan | 469930 | 6.43 | 32.25 | 37.93 | 0.53 | 0.20 |
El Salvador | 20720 | 6.34 | 25.49 | 24.81 | 0.67 | 0.17 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 51200 | 3.23 | 50.78 | 18.05 | 0.91 | 0.17 |
Mongolia | 1557507 | 3.40 | 45.88 | 11.43 | 1.36 | 0.16 |
Nicaragua | 120340 | 6.95 | 20.65 | 13.81 | 1.01 | 0.14 |
Burkina Faso | 273600 | 22.67 | 5.88 | 12.32 | 1.05 | 0.13 |
Kenya | 569140 | 54.03 | 2.15 | 79.26 | 0.15 | 0.12 |
Madagascar | 581800 | 29.61 | 3.94 | 11.50 | 1.00 | 0.12 |
North Macedonia | 25220 | 2.09 | 51.96 | 11.28 | 0.96 | 0.11 |
DR Congo | 2267050 | 99.01 | 1.05 | 37.64 | 0.27 | 0.10 |
Zimbabwe | 386850 | 16.32 | 6.52 | 22.04 | 0.45 | 0.10 |
Gabon | 257670 | 2.39 | 35.60 | 15.01 | 0.55 | 0.08 |
South Sudan | 631930 | 10.91 | 6.89 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.08 |
Sierra Leone | 72180 | 8.61 | 9.09 | 3.78 | 2.00 | 0.08 |
Mali | 1220190 | 22.59 | 3.26 | 15.33 | 0.46 | 0.07 |
Montenegro | 13450 | 0.63 | 103.51 | 4.84 | 1.34 | 0.07 |
Suriname | 156000 | 0.62 | 105.56 | 3.00 | 2.10 | 0.06 |
Somalia | 627340 | 17.60 | 3.69 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.06 |
Mauritania | 1030700 | 4.74 | 10.25 | 5.02 | 1.00 | 0.05 |
Zambia | 743390 | 20.02 | 2.05 | 25.87 | 0.15 | 0.04 |
Moldova | 32885 | 3.27 | 7.48 | 8.13 | 0.37 | 0.03 |
Bhutan | 38140 | 0.78 | 31.88 | 2.53 | 0.99 | 0.03 |
Kyrgyzstan | 191800 | 6.63 | 2.97 | 7.56 | 0.26 | 0.02 |
Central African Republic | 622980 | 5.58 | 3.99 | 1.95 | 1.03 | 0.02 |
Laos | 230800 | 7.53 | 2.47 | 16.85 | 0.11 | 0.02 |
Liberia | 96320 | 5.30 | 2.45 | 3.29 | 0.40 | 0.01 |
U.S. Special Forces Deployed to 70% of the World in 2016
SOCOM’s (U.S. Special Operations Command) shadow wars against terror groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (also known as ISIL) may, ironically, be its most visible operations. Shrouded in even more secrecy are its activities — from counterinsurgency and counterdrug efforts to seemingly endless training and advising missions — outside acknowledged conflict zones across the globe. These are conducted with little fanfare, press coverage, or oversight in scores of nations every single day. (source)