[bawolff]

I think when people are asking about the cost of a war, they are asking about excess costs. How much extra money would be saved if the war didn't happen.

[SauntSolaire]

Yes, it's quite humorous to try and factor in opportunity costs for aircraft carriers, "but we could be bombing someone else!"

[paulryanrogers]

Doing actual bombing is more costing than just patrolling relatively peaceful seas, no?

[deaddodo]

Yes, but not at the cost of the construction of an Aircraft Carrier. This is why the military uses "operational costs" (fuel, munitions, activated duty pay, equipment losses, etc) to factor the cost, not the total amount of every dollar ever spent to build+sustain a military force.