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# Santa Monica Tallying war costs is disingenuous
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/santa-monica-tallying-war-costs-is-disingenuous-editor/
- Published: 2007-06-19T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T01:12:15.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homelessness

*By David L. Darling Santa Monica*

Please explain how the Irag conflict is costing $145 million to the residents of Santa Monica (“Putting a price tag on the Irag war,” June 12). The National Priorities Project organization is trying to cause a riot. The cost of the war, as figured by the experts, is a daily cost for the U.S. military. Not one gives an account as to what the military (all branches) would be doing without a war. All military costs do not stop in the absence of war.

Now, who wrote the check that took all this money away from (per Kevin McKeown) education, social services and housing to end homelessness? The story of returning veterans is a hoax. Let me mention when a WWII veteran arrived on the East Coast from duty, he was asked where he lived. Then, with his mustering out-pay, he was given a ticket home on a train or bus.

That was it. If they wanted to live on the streets, that was their choice. The towns and cities did not feed and coddle them. When I was discharged from the Korean event as a veteran, Santa Monica was noticeably absent with compassion.

Let us get back (according to the article) to when and who spent this great amount of money. No general assumptions, please, but an actual accounting.

Terrorism and fear of terrorism is an entirely different subject. The American people and the American way of life do not understand how to deal with terrorism. More facts and less presumption for reportorial reliability please.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 19, 2007.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/061907.pdf?ref=smdp.com)