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Afghan Calculus: 40K Troops Equals $40B

High long-term costs a big factor in debate

By John Johnson,  Newser Staff

Posted Nov 14, 2009 4:04 PM CST
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(Newser) – When President Obama rejected advisers' recommendations on Afghan troops and insisted they be retooled with exit strategies, he had the war's long-term financial costs in mind, an insider tells the New York Times. While military strategy gets the headlines, the financial constraints also are weighing heavily. Some specfics:

  • Gen. McChyrstal's preferred option of adding 40,000 troops would cost $40 billion to $54 billion per year.

  • Even going with a lesser number of say 30,000 troops would wipe out the $26 billion to be saved next year when US troops leave Iraq.
  • Figure a rough baseline of $1 million per soldier per year. That's up from an estimate of $390,000 in 2006, largely because of the unique challenges posed by Afghanistan. Mountainous terrain can result in a $400 gallon of fuel.
  • A troop increase could push the overall military budget to as high as $734 billion, a politically dicey prospect for Obama. The Bush team's peak was $667 billion.

Marines board a chopper en route to Helmand province.
Marines board a chopper en route to Helmand province.   (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)
Kabul city is seen in the background as a U.S. Marine keeps vigil on Chinook helicpoter.
Kabul city is seen in the background as a U.S. Marine keeps vigil on Chinook helicpoter.   (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
Marines arrive in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.
Marines arrive in Helmand province, southern Afghanistan.   (AP Photo/Brennan Linsley)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 9 comments
JonmarkP
Nov 15, 2009 11:08 AM CST
What have politicians to gain? Money made by war profiteers who will reap billions, and put a tiny fraction of that into political campaigns. That's all this is about, not danger or freedom or terrorism or any other silly concept. It's about profits, nothing more. There's even a profit to be made on body bags. You want to end this war? Take the profit out of it. Bingo... end of war!
Guava_Jelly
Nov 15, 2009 8:13 AM CST
My mouth (and OUR founding fathers mouths') is wide open...drop them in!!! We like the taste of socialism, for we will @#@#@! you out soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rocket448
Nov 15, 2009 6:50 AM CST
Today - Sunday - Mitt Romney has jumped into the Afghanistan discussion with both feet in his mouth. RIP, GOP. That party has lost its rudder, can't sail.

 
Afghanistan • US military • US troops • war cost • Afghanistan war • President Obama • Stanley McChrystal

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