by Travis Sharp Bottom Line: If the United States keeps 55,000 troops in Iraq through 2018, about a third as many troops as are presently deployed, the aggregate cost of the war in Iraq will reach approximately $1.1 trillion. The aggregate cost jumps to $1.7 trillion if one includes aggregate debt service costs for the […]
Analysis of FY2008 “Bridge” War Funding Supplemental (Attached to Omnibus Appropriations Bill S. 2764): Cost of Wars Now Surpasses Vietnam War
by Travis Sharp On December 18, 2007, the Senate approved an amendment introduced by Republican leader Mitch McConnell providing $70 billion in “bridge” funding for ongoing U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Bush administration has requested $196 billion in war funding for Fiscal Year 2008. The $70 billion “bridge” provides 36% of this […]
Analysis of Senate Armed Services Committee Action on the FY2008 Defense Authorization Bill (S. 1585)
by Christopher Hellman and Travis Sharp The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) completed its markup of S. 1585, the FY2008 Defense Authorization bill, on May 25, 2007. The Administration submitted its FY2008 national defense request in February in two separate parts: a base budget of $507 billion and a war-related spending package of $141.8 billion to […]
The High Cost of a Low Priority Program: $18 Billion for Missile Defense in 2016
by Robert G. Gard and John Isaacs November 15, 2006 The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that spending for the missile defense system will peak at $18 billion in 2016, three years later than last year’s estimate due to further delays in the program, including $3 billion in “cost risks.” This new estimate is contained in […]
