Analysis of the Growth in Funding for Operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Elsewhere in the War on Terrorism
Abstract
At the request of the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has reviewed the funding provided for military activities in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the war on terrorism and analyzed the increases in appropriations that have occurred over the past several years. The United States began combat operations in Afghanistan in fiscal year 2002 and in Iraq in fiscal year 2003. To finance those operations (and other activities related to the war on terrorism), the Congress provided $18 billion and $76 billion in emergency appropriations in those years, respectively. With the exception of a slight decrease in 2004, to $74 billion, funding has increased steadily each year, to a total of $165 billion for 2007. If the Administration's request for 2008 is funded in full, appropriations for military operations and other war-related activities in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere in the war on terrorism will rise to $188 billion this year and to a cumulative total of $752 billion since 2001. Most of the spending is concentrated in two categories operation and maintenance, which has roughly doubled from 2004 to 2008, and procurement, which has increased tenfold over that period. The reasons for some of the increases are difficult to determine precisely because available data on the pace of operations and other factors that might affect costs are limited and because some of the funding and reporting categories are very broad. CBO's enclosed analysis is based on supplemental budget requests submitted by the Administration, budget justification materials provided by the Department of Defense, reports on obligations incurred during the war, and committee reports accompanying appropriation acts.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 11, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA481632
Entities
Organizations
- Congressional Budget Office