There are roughly 25 million people in Iraq. Yesterday, the cost for invading and occupying Iraq raced past the $300 billion mark. Per capita costs in Iraq from America's efforts $12,000.00. This doesn't include wounded and dead Americans, wounded and dead Iraqis, shattered families, ill will, and future "blowback". It also does not include the leverage America has lost in global affairs -- failing to put out of business North Korea's nuclear program, creating an atmosphere in which Iran felt emboldened to push forward its nuclear pretensions, failure of the President of the United States to secure run-of-the-mill economic deals in Latin America and China, and collapse of American moral credibility in global affairs. $12,000 per person -- in a nation where per capita income is about $2,000 and most people live realistically at about $500 a year. Lawrence Lindsey was more right than his White House foes about the financial costs -- but even he missed the costs incurred for the entire world seeing America at its limits, when enemies have incentives to move their agendas and allies won't count on us as much. --- Steve Clemons