http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/...75S25320110629
Looking at the Brown study itself, honestly, the macroeconomic effects of the Wars are staggering. Obviously it's impossible to know what the US economy would look like having never gone to war, but the full effects of the war's reduced capital investment won't even hit for another 10 years economists say!! And it has already increased spending by a measurable mark of the GDP, meaning interest is going to bite too long-term.
And there are still a dozen other factors to look at as a result of the war, like what all those veterans will cost/not earn (500,000+ disability claims filed).
Yes these countries were two of the most repressed in the world, but they still come in far down on the Democracy index. They're flawed as hell still. Honestly
I'm not trying to be critical of America, defend Obama or stir the pot... just thinking out-loud about the extent to which the war cost too much (gained little) and factor's in to Obama's economy. *shrug*