What Is the Cost of Democracy?

In 1945, at the conclusion of the Second World War, the United States participated in bringing democracy to the Axis powers. 30 years later, the United States was defeated in its quest to bring democracy to Vietnam. What will happen in Iraq?

Cost of Democracy in Germany and Japan:
4 years
7,293,000 German lives
2,700,000 Japanese lives
418,500 American lives
$3,393.11 billion USD

Verdict: Success
Germany GDP - $2.81 trillion
Japan GDP - $4.29 trillion

"World War II was ultimately a victory for democracy in Western Europe, where representative governments were established that reflected the general will of their citizens [...] Japan adopted a new constitution during the postwar Allied occupation, with initial elections in 1946."

Cost of (attempted) Democracy in Vietnam:
16 years
1,176,000 North Vietnamese lives
1,581,000 South Vietnamese lives
58,159 American lives
$579.08 billion USD

Verdict: Failure

"The achievement of a military victory by U.S. forces in Vietnam was indeed a dangerous illusion."

Cost of Democracy in Iraq:
5 years and counting
654,965 Iraqi lives
4124 American lives
$561.56 billion USD

Verdict: pending...

"The U.S.-led coalition occupied Iraq and attempted to establish a new democratic government. But shortly after the initial invasion, violence against coalition forces and among various sectarian groups led to asymmetric warfare with the Iraqi insurgency, strife between many Sunni and Shia Iraqi groups, and al-Qaeda operations in Iraq."

courtesy of Wikipedia, the NYTimes, zFacts, and Christian Science Monitor