According to the National Priorities Project…

Taxpayers in North Carolina will pay $12.3 billion for the cost of the Iraq War through 2007. For the same amount of money, the following could have been provided:

2,549,652 People with Health Care or
262,688 Elementary School Teachers or
1,664,717 Head Start Places for Children or
5,677,670 Children with Health Care or
116,816 Affordable Housing Units or
1,358 New Elementary Schools or
2,675,711 Scholarships for University Students or
238,456 Music and Arts Teachers or
324,710 Public Safety Officers or
9,792,193 Homes with Renewable Electricity or
179,895 Port Container Inspectors