How much is a house anyway?

"Mr Bush asked agencies in the disaster zone to treat bodies with "dignity and respect", and announced initial aid of $2,000 (£1,090) for displaced families."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/americas/4227974.stm

$2000, thats a perfectly reasonable amount right? That can buy a house, food, clothes, funeral services for loved ones who died, transportation out of the superdome, and maybe protection from the looters, muggers, and rapists.

Just a little math here....according to The National Priorities Project the cost of the war in iraq at this time is:$193,002,399,744

The population of New Orleans as of 2000 was 484674 people so that gives each person: $398210.75

or if we do it by households (188251)...$1 025 239.70, that'd buy a new house for sure....

So, if even 5% of what was spent on the war in iraq, that would give families $50 000 to spend, not enough to completely rebuild, but a semi-reasonable conservative amount for someone who has lost everything.

the $2000 offered of course is less than .2%