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Afghanistan War Costs Jump, Congressional Report Shows
By Julian E. Barnes
The monthly cost of fighting the war in Iraq declined this year, but not enough to offset increasing expenses in Afghanistan, according to a new report from the Congressional Research Service.
Between 2009 and 2010, the average monthly cost of the Iraq war fell $1.8 billion to $5.4 billion, a 25% drop. But increased spending in Afghanistan ate up that savingsand a bit more. Monthly costs rose $2.2 billion to $5.7, billion, a 63% increase.
Overall, CRS estimates that the U.S. has spent $1.1 trillion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The report says that per-troop costs in Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to rise next year, but CRS, the research arm of Congress, contends the war will not be as expensive as the White House is budgeting.
Many war costs rise and fall depending on the number of troops deployed, but others, like funding for the Iraqi and Afghan security forces, are independent of the number of troops on the ground.
Between 2005 and 2009, it cost an average of $425,000 for each U.S. service member in Afghanistan, and $462,000 in Iraq.
The annual cost per soldier in Iraq next year is projected to jump to $802,000, likely because the size of the force has declined much faster than the infrastructure or spending on the Iraqi security forces.
In Afghanistan, where the military has built up additional infrastructure to accommodate the surge units, the average cost per service member is expected to rise to $694,000.
The CRS reports per troop cost are dramatically lower than the White Houses, which generally uses the estimate of $1 million a year per service member.
The report suggests that the Obama administrations war funding request for next year may be too high.
Afghanistan War Costs Jump, Congressional Report Shows - Washington Wire - WSJ
By Julian E. Barnes
The monthly cost of fighting the war in Iraq declined this year, but not enough to offset increasing expenses in Afghanistan, according to a new report from the Congressional Research Service.
Between 2009 and 2010, the average monthly cost of the Iraq war fell $1.8 billion to $5.4 billion, a 25% drop. But increased spending in Afghanistan ate up that savingsand a bit more. Monthly costs rose $2.2 billion to $5.7, billion, a 63% increase.
Overall, CRS estimates that the U.S. has spent $1.1 trillion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The report says that per-troop costs in Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to rise next year, but CRS, the research arm of Congress, contends the war will not be as expensive as the White House is budgeting.
Many war costs rise and fall depending on the number of troops deployed, but others, like funding for the Iraqi and Afghan security forces, are independent of the number of troops on the ground.
Between 2005 and 2009, it cost an average of $425,000 for each U.S. service member in Afghanistan, and $462,000 in Iraq.
The annual cost per soldier in Iraq next year is projected to jump to $802,000, likely because the size of the force has declined much faster than the infrastructure or spending on the Iraqi security forces.
In Afghanistan, where the military has built up additional infrastructure to accommodate the surge units, the average cost per service member is expected to rise to $694,000.
The CRS reports per troop cost are dramatically lower than the White Houses, which generally uses the estimate of $1 million a year per service member.
The report suggests that the Obama administrations war funding request for next year may be too high.
Afghanistan War Costs Jump, Congressional Report Shows - Washington Wire - WSJ
