How the Terrorists Have Won

August 27, 2004

Recently the United Nations announced it costs terrorists less than $50,000 to carry out most attacks. The attacks on the U.S. were estimated to be "over six figures."

After looking over their figures, the total cost for the attacks listed was about $690,000 with an estimate of $500,000 for the 911 attacks.  There were 3,691 people killed in 12 attacks. The average cost per terrorist event was less than $58,000. On average each attack killed about 307 people or less than $190 per life lost.

These are great numbers for terrorists but not for everyone else.

The response to terrorism has cost much more than measly $690,000. The U.S. has spent and is planning to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to strengthen our homeland defenses. Yet, attacks will occur and we are always afraid.

Terrorists force us to spend billions we can’t afford. And because we spend so much on terrorism defense, we have few resources for domestic programs to keep our country healthy such as universal health care.

Terror  attacks cause social and political turmoil and expend energy needed for other things. We are ultimately weaker for it.  No war strengthens a country whether it is a shadow war like the War on Terrorism or an illegal and immoral War in Iraq.

This is how terrorists win.