To the Conqueror, Spoils?

     I was reading the story of Joshua and the conquest of the land of Canaan.  God had promised it to Abraham in Genesis chapter 15.  The promise was renewed to Isaac and then to his son Jacob.  It was finally fulfilled, after the exodus from Egypt and under the command of Joshua. 
     It was certainly not like any modern war.  The first obstacle was to cross the Jordan river.  Not a problem...  the waters miraculously stop flowing, the army crosses, and the water flows again.  Wow!  If this army has a God who can stop a river and then start it again...  Would you fight them?  Not me!  Then, while you're watching from the wall, this massive group starts marching around the city walls...  and they march once each day for six days.  Seven times on the seventh day, then the priests blow their horns, the people shout, and the walls fell down!  Obviously, the lesson here is that with God on your side, the enemy will be defeated!  Not only that, it's a pretty cheap victory as long as you obey God! 
     The Israelites didn't have to buy or build battering rams, siege towers, or enough supplies to starve them out.  Thats the way it is with God on your side!
     In comparison, it seems the United States military machine may need to do some praying themselves.  Can they are doing God's will when the cost of war is so expensive?  I did a little comparison research to look at our major conflicts and the financial costs.   This is going way back and remember that dollars were worth much more in the early years. 

American Revolution    101 million
War of 1812                    90 million
Mexican War                   71 million
Civil War (North)           3.2 million
Civil War (South)              1 million
Spanish American War  283 million
World War I                     20 billion
World War II                  296 billion
Korea                                30 billion
Vietnam                          111 billion
Persian Gulf War              61 billion
Iraq                                 782 billion+
Afghanistan                    421 billion+
Libya                              550 million+

     Do you notice a trend in the list?  We've spent more money in Iraq than every war combined since the birth of our nation!  At least in the early wars, we gained territory.  Now, we just borrow a gazillion dollars, attack, win, and give it back!  No other conquering hero throughout history has been so stupid!  One of the first questions to ask is, what will the war cost?  We didn't ask that question, because George had us in a frenzy over sneaky terrorists!  So, where has all the money gone???  We could have conquered the world with the money spent in the Middle East!
     We need a financial solution, I have one!  Iraq needs to become the 51st state and Afghanistan the 52nd!  Somebody has to pay for this.   Their oil will go a long way toward paying the bills!  Libya, start working on your statehood papers!