The Afghan War Is Costing The U.S. $45 Billion Per Year

The Hill: Pentagon: War in Afghanistan will cost $45 billion in 2018

The Defense Department’s top Asia official on Tuesday told Senate lawmakers that the war in Afghanistan will cost $45 billion this year.

Randall Schriver, the assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific security affairs, said the figure includes roughly $13 billion for U.S. forces in the country, $5 billion for Afghan forces, $780 million for economic aid and the rest for logistical support.

Schriver was speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in its first hearing on the war since President Trump announced a new Afghanistan strategy six months ago. The Pentagon official could not give a cost estimate for the new strategy.

Lawmakers were critical of the 2018 costs, and questioned whether the administration’s plan will force the Taliban to the table for peace talks and end the war, now in its 17th year.

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Update: Pentagon: Afghan war costing US $45 billion per year (AP)

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