U.S. Annual War Spending Grows Even With Troop Cutbacks, Costs in Iraq, Afghanistan Will Reach $117.6 Billion By DAVID ROGERS March 8, 2006; Page A4 WASHINGTON -- As the U.S. enters its fourth year in Iraq this month, the annual cost of military operations is growing -- even as the Pentagon assumes the number of troops there will shrink. Monthly expenditures are running at $5.9 billion; the U.S. commitment in Afghanistan adds roughly another $1 billion. Taken together, annual spending for the two wars will reach $117.6 billion for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30 -- 18% above funding for the prior 12 months. That escalation reflects the fact that America's military today is a higher-cost war machine than the one that fought in Vietnam decades ago. But it has also produced bipartisan concern in Congress that "emergency spending" for Iraq has become a way for the Pentagon to meet other needs. War costs are rising despite Pentagon estimates of lower personnel costs: $2.6 billion for 2006, or 14% less than in 2005. Offsetting that decline is an increased request for procurement of new equipment: $25.7 billion in 2006, up from the $18.8 billion Congress provided in 2005. And year-by-year comparisons show that appropriations for operations and maintenance spending for the Army and Marines are rising by better than 30%. Higher fuel prices are a factor. In addition, the Army must hire more contractors for logistical chores previously handled by National Guard forces, who have returned home after their mobilization has run its course. "They don't have enough people," said Rep. John Murtha, a Pennsylvania Democrat. Three years in Iraq also have taken a toll on stocks of military equipment, requiring creation of in-country maintenance facilities in Iraq. "There are unprecedented costs. It's staggering," said Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, who, like Mr. Murtha, is a senior member of the Appropriations Committee leadership overseeing defense funding. For Senate Budget Committee Chairman Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, an early ally of Mr. Bush, the result is a total defense budget that in real dollars surpasses those of the Vietnam War era and defense buildup under Ronald Reagan at the height of the Cold War. "Essentially, defense is being budgeted outside the budget through emergencies," Mr. Gregg says. "The war is being used to drive those numbers, but as a practical matter, money's fungible. Obviously, a lot of that money is moving back and forth within the Defense Department." He wants to impose more order on the process as part of a Senate budget resolution for the coming year. Meantime, the House Appropriations Committee is slated today to take up the Pentagon's newest $67.6 billion request as part of an emergency spending bill that also will provide more resources for hurricane recovery on the Gulf Coast. Already, $50 billion in war-related emergency spending has been approved for 2006 as part of a "bridge fund" added to the annual defense-appropriations bill in December. When the new request is added, that brings the total to $117.6 billion for 2006, compared with about $99.8 billion in 2005. The process can be difficult to follow. Congress, at the request of the White House, continues to fund the war incrementally as an "emergency." That places spending outside the customary spending ceilings that apply to annual appropriations to run the government. http://online.wsj.com/public/articl...N4qoenDbAFbOI8Ywp2O_M_20070308.html?mod=blogs
What ever became of the notion that Iraq would repay us out of their oil revenues? We have spent hundreds of billions to destroy and now rebuild Iraq. The money that has been spent is unreal. Stuff like brand new garbage trucks. We don;t have enough money to provide decent health care to our own vets, but we can subsidize a middle eastern country that clearly hates us and has vast oil reserves. I'd hate to see what Plan B was. No wonder Iran is thumbing their nose at us. They must think, worst case scenario, the dumb Americans will give us billions in aid.
It's un-friggin' believable... Oh the audacity! Bastards are draggin us down the drain, not to mention the massive debt and world political mess they're leaving for the next generations.
Zzz, Your post here, with the implication that it is the foolish Bush Admin's fault and its a horrible shame, and disgraceful to have the US hemmorraging 5.9 bil $ per day to an ingrate country, or what is left of one, which doesn't even want us there, if you are implying this, you are 100% right.
when are you people going to learn, that IRAQ is a energy play by Bush, and he actually does have foresight into America's future. Re-building Iraq is on their agenda but the main reason is energy and not in the way most people think. Do you really believe Bush is doing this for attention, personal satisifaction or to get back at saddam for taking a punch at daddy? He knows the human/political/ecomonic/moral sacrifices he is making, but he also knows the reward; that Saddam is now guaranteed to NOT hold the USA hostage to oil, nor can he team up with his neighbours to do so in the future. THIS IS A REAL THREAT TO AMERICA'S WELLBEING. America has a presence in Muslim countries because thats where most of the worlds oil/energy comes from -> a fleeting resource thats rising in costs on the back of surging demand sets America up for a potential political trap 5 - 20 years into the future. Unless america can convert to clean, self-renewable energy overnight(which they can't) their only other option is to get to them before they get to us. Saddam had already tried this back in 1990. Fuck you Saddam Hussein, robbing your own people of basic education/health/freedom rights that every human being deserves. Saddam was a militant with a patient, evil agenda -> that, the old cronies know. I sincerely hope that the sacrifices Bush has made is well worth it looking back in 20 years and a REAL global energy war doesnt break out and the average Iraqi citizen can enjoy the freedom, basic human rights and the chance at a prosperous, full-filling life just as much as the average american citizen has and can.
"I sincerely hope that the sacrifices Bush has made...." Bush made a personal sacrifice? Please explain.... All I see him doing is sacrificing other people's children, taxpayers money, and the good will that America had after 9/11.