Censored by Huffington Post - the REAL costs of the wars

My comments were in response to this article

Iraq War Cost U.S. More Than $2 Trillion, Could Grow to $6 Trillion, Says Watson Institute Study

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/14/iraq-war-cost-more-than-2-trillion_n_2875493.html

The REAL cost of the wars. 
$5tn+ to end of 2011

http://ian56.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/real-cost-of-afghan-and-iraq-wars.html 

25 reasons why the decision to invade Iraq was a VERY bad idea. 
http://ian56.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/what-was-wrong-with-iraq-war.html

Some of my comments did get through Like these ones :-

By far the largest cost of the decision to invade Iraq and the $5tn+ costs of unfunded wars has been the bankrupting of America to all intents and purposes and was of GREAT benefit to CHINA in the rise of it's global power. 

The decision to invade Iraq hastened the day of the loss of American hegemony. 
It made America much weaker - strategically, militarily, fiscally and economically. 
It GREATLY assisted China - they picked up half of Africa for free in trade deals. 

As I said that it would in January 2002. 

It was plain to see that the, as yet unannounced, invasion of Iraq would do IMMENSE HARM TO AMERICA. 

The costs of the wars were at least $5tn at the end of 2011 and the costs continue to mount as the article correctly states. 

Some estimates put the estimated cost as high as $7tn at the end of 2011. 

But even this $7tn estimate does not include factors like this :- 

As a direct result of the Iraq invasion oil prices skyrocketed. 
They were below $30 prior to the war and eventually peaked at $140 in 2007/08. 

Iraqi oil production halved on the invasion and did not get back to pre invasion levels until 2011. 

Each $1 rise in the oil price has a siginificant detrimental effect on the growth of the US economy. 

How much did a $110 oil price rise hurt America in terms of lower GDP growth, lower tax revenues and higher benefits payments for things like unemployment? 

It has to be a very significant cost indeed - but nobody has tried to estimate it and include it in the cost of the wars. 

It was also a direct transfer of wealth from America and Europe to oil producing nations like Iran, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. How much has this cost America in the end? 

The Iraq invasion also made Iran a significant regional power, where previously it was directly opposed and kept in check by Saddam Hussein. 
How much has this cost America? 

LOADS of other things that are not normally included in the costs of the wars, but are true direct costs.