The US has been involved in the Syrian war, supporting opposition groups in Syria and conducting airstrikes alongside coalition forces. The US has also provided weapons and training to the Kurdish-Arab alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to fight against Daesh. The US military presence in Syria began with 50 troops in 2014 and grew to 2,000 troops in 2017. 1

The cost of US involvement in the Syrian war was quite high. According to a report published by Brown University, US spending on the Syrian war amounted to approximately 64 billion dollars between 2011 and 2020. 2 This figure includes only the cost of military operations and excludes spending on refugees and humanitarian aid.

Impact of the Syrian War on the US Economy

The Syrian war has had both direct and indirect negative effects on the US economy. One of the direct effects was the increase in the US defense budget. According to the US Department of Defense, the US defense budget increased from $711 billion in 2011 to $721 billion in 2020. 3 It is estimated that a significant part of this increase is related to the Syrian war.

One of the indirect effects was the impact of the Syrian war on global oil prices. The Syrian war exacerbated political instability in the Middle East, leading to oil supply disruptions and speculation. This led to fluctuations in oil prices. For example, oil prices dropped from $115 per barrel in 2014 to as low as $30 per barrel in 2016. [4] This reduced US oil exports and revenues.

Conclusion

The Syrian war has taken a huge toll on the US economy. The US became involved in the Syrian war by exhausting its resources, both militarily and economically. This has weakened the US regional and global influence. A political solution is needed to end the Syrian war. However, given the complexity of the conflict in Syria and the conflicting interests of the parties, this solution will not be easy to find.