Over two decades since the U.S.-led “War on Terror”, its true impact is becoming ever clearer — and more horrific. A growing body of independent and academic research shows the immense human cost borne by military interventions in Middle East and Afghanistan wars — from civilian deaths, mass displacements and psychological trauma to destroyed infrastructure.
Brown University’s Costs of War Project reported in 2023 that over 900,000 people have died directly since 9/11 as the result of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, and Yemen. This total includes soldiers, contractors, insurgents and, critically, civilians who often bear the brunt of modern conflict. Iraq alone estimates over 200,000 civilian casualties while Afghanistan estimates at least 46,000 since 2001.
Analysts caution, however, that these numbers may understate the true cost of war. According to Neta Crawford of the Costs of War Project: “Many civilian deaths go unrecorded or misclassified due to remoteness or conflict zones; therefore we are likely undercounting.”
Beyond direct fatalities, millions have also suffered indirect consequences of war such as disease, malnutrition and the collapse of health systems. Damage from war-induced destruction to hospitals and water systems created a public health crisis in Iraq with spikes in child mortality and preventable disease; maternal care declined substantially in Afghanistan after international aid had withdrawn following Taliban rule’s return in 2021.
Psychological and emotional trauma from war are difficult to measure but equally devastating. Generations of children in Syria and Afghanistan have grown up under a shadow cast by drones, bombings and forced displacement. Aid agencies report alarming rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and suicide among survivors – particularly women and young people living in refugee camps.
Displacement has been one of the defining elements of these wars. According to the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, more than 38 million people across eight countries have been forcibly displaced due to U.S. wars and counterinsurgency operations; over 13 million Syrians alone–more than half their population–have left their homes since 2011.
American military veterans have also paid an immense cost. More than 7,000 U.S. service members have died since 9/11, while thousands more suffer visible and invisible wounds from war service. According to VA figures, more than 1.5 million veterans receive disability benefits related to service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Critics contend that these wars failed to meet their stated objectives, leaving political instability and fractured societies as their legacy. “These wars left behind a trail of devastation that did little to bring peace or security to regions affected,” stated Sarah Leah Whitson of DAWN (Democracy for the Arab World Now).
As the United States strives to adjust its foreign policy following costly interventions, its wars’ legacy remains visible in bombed-out cities, refugee camps and devastated homes – many believe that this human cost should serve as a warning about restraint and accountability from future administrations.