After the September 11 attacks, the United States launched a global war campaign that has reportedly cost about $58 trillion and claimed around 940000 lives, according to investigative reports.

The military campaigns were initiated in 2001 by then-president George W. Bush, who declared a war on terrorism. Over the following two decades, the wars continued under Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Donald Trump.

Reports suggest the US carried out air and ground attacks in at least ten countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, Somalia, Libya, Syria, Venezuela, Nigeria, and Iran.

The first major war began in Afghanistan in October 2001 and lasted nearly 20 years. During this conflict, about 243000 people lost their lives, while the US spent approximately $2.26 trillion on the war.

In March 2003, the US launched another major invasion in Iraq, claiming that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. The claim was later proven false, yet the war resulted in about 315000 deaths.

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Military operations also continued in Syria between 2014 and 2021 against Islamic State, where around 269000 people were reportedly killed. In Yemen, US-linked operations between 2002 and 2021 led to around 112000 deaths.

Drone strikes were also carried out in Pakistan’s tribal areas during the Obama administration, while air strikes targeted militant groups in Somalia. In 2011, the US and NATO intervened in Libya, which later fell into prolonged instability.

Despite earlier promises to end costly foreign wars, critics say US military involvement abroad has remained a defining feature of its foreign policy.