Iraq War Costing $5.9 Billion per Month

Wall Street Journal:

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.

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Related: Progressives in Congress want to divert $60 billion in defense spending to humanitarian assistance, social programs, energy conservation, homeland security and deficit reduction.