Congressional Reports: Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan since 9/11

Amy Belasco, Specialist in National Defense (250k PDF)
Congressional Research Service, September 22, 2006

Synopsis by zFacts (Graph of Iraq spending based on report.)

The report cannot answer the most basic questions because:

"Beginning in 2004, Congress required the Defense Department to report on April 1 and October 31 of each year the cumulative and most recent cost of OIF [Iraq] and OEF [Afghanistan]. This reporting requirement was included in three separate statutes (Sec. 1120 ...

Although DOD has a financial system that tracks funds for each operation once they are obligated — as pay or contractual costs — DOD has not sent Congress the semiannual reports with cumulative and current obligations for OIF and OEF, or estimates for the next year, or for the next five years that are required by statute."

The report covers three operations:
OEF: Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan etc.
ONE: Operation Noble Eagle Enhanced security at military bases
OIF: Operation Iraqi Freedom Iraq war

Congress has appropriated a total of about $368 billion for these three, but DOD has not provided Congress with the costs of these three operations. Approximately $261 billion for Iraq, $77 billion for OEF, $26 for military bases, and 4% unknown. Less than 1% is for medical care for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

DOD spent about $6.4 billion/month on Iraq in FY2005 (end 9/05), 28% more than in FY2004. The Dept. of Defense (DOD) provides these estimates, referred to as the “burn rate.” They cover some costs, but excludes the cost of upgrading or replacing military equipment and of improving or building facilities overseas.

Based on an alternate path that assumes a drawdown from about 258,000 troops currently engaged in these operations to 74,000 in FY2010, CBO estimates that war costs could total $371 billion between FY2007 and FY2016. Adding that amount to the $440 billion already approved or requested, total funding for Iraq and the global war on terrorism could reach $811 billion by 2016.

http://zfacts.com/p/272.html | 01/18/12 07:19 GMT
Modified: Wed, 05 Mar 2008 07:28:29 GMT