No instead they would have spent money on something else. So your contention is that all of the economic problems are a result of the war? All of the outsourcing of jobs, subprime mortgage nightmare, lehman, runaway education costs, unemployment, etc. The whole entire mess averted if only we would have all been smart enough to have voted for Gore. The country would be in prosperity, no one would even have ever heard of QE and the Bernanke would be relaxing with his cushy job now. I think you are the one that is naive.