Wars Caused Federal Debt

The American public tags the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as the main culprit in the burgeoning of United States national debt. Fully 60% say the cost of these wars contributed a great deal to the size of the debt. Far fewer Americans say an increase in government spending on domestic problems (24%) or the Bush administration tax cuts (19%) contributed a great deal to the debt. Two-thirds of Democrats, including 79% of liberal Democrats, and 62% of independents say that the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan contributed a great deal to the debt. For both Democrats and independents, no other factor comes close to the wars’ price-tag. Nearly half of Republicans (49%) also cite the wars as major contributors to the debt, with little difference in opinion between conservative and moderate Republicans. Read More