US war in Iraq costs over USD 2 trillion, 189,000 lives

A new study has shown that the US war on Iraq has cost more than USD two trillion, including USD 490 billion in benefits owed to war veterans.

The report released by the US-based Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University stated that the amount owed to veterans may rise to USD six trillion over the next four decades if interest is included.

The report, drawn up by about 30 academics, also said at least 189,000 people have been killed since the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

It said the war left 134,000 Iraqi civilians dead and may have contributed to the deaths of as many as four times that number.

The Costs of War Project concluded that Washington has gained but little from the years of conflict and occupation in Iraq.

The study, released ahead of the 10th anniversary of the US offensive on Iraq, emphasized that the energy-rich nation is still traumatized by the invasion.