As Iraq is costing Americans $5 billion every month, many are recognizing the incredible debt that is being run up. Today in the Toronto Star, reporter Tim Harper of the Washington Bureau, is starting to put the total figures together. It is not a pretty picture. You knew that already, but have you considered the cost of this war against the others?

Harper says the cost of Afghanistan and Iraq in the current war is already above the cost of Vietnam. That takes the total cost over the half-trillion mark. And there is no prospect in sight for when these expenditures can be terminated.

Harper also explains that in spite of this massive almost four-year expenditure, the total amount doesn't compare to the U.S. international trade deficit of the first ten months of this year, which just this week was reported to be $598.3 billion. However, at least in that case, America is getting something back for their USD spent on things like oil and electronic chips and games, and t-shirts.

Nevertheless, also pointed out in this article is the fact that the U.S. federal government total annual budget for education for 2005 is $71.5 bilion. Just think what that $100 billion a year expended in Afghanistan and Iraq could do to resolve America's deficiencies in areas like education and fighting poverty, crime and drugs.

At the end of the day, the numbers, whether they are a half-trillion or trillion, do not really impact on the consciousness of Americans who are paying the cost, because they cannot understand what a trillion means.

But I can assure you, if these figures were really expenditures spent in areas that would directly impact the creation of wealth in America, I would not be writing about gold, or credit risks, and so forth.

But I have to deal with reality.