Cost of Afghan war could top $18 billion

Canada’s mission in Afghanistan could cost up to $18.1 billion, more than double the government’s previous projections, according to a parliamentary report released Thursday. According to parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page the war will end up costing tax payers between $13.

Canada’s mission in Afghanistan could cost up to $18.1 billion, more than double the government’s previous projections, according to a parliamentary report released Thursday.
According to parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page the war will end up costing tax payers between $13.9 and $18.1 billion. Prime Minister Stephen Harper had originally predicted the war would cost Canadians less than $8 billion. However, Page estimates the mission has already cost Canada between $7.7 and $10.5 billion. He blames this discrepancy on poor government reporting. “Budget estimates reporting to parliament on Canada’s mission in Afghanistan have not meant any appropriate standard or best practise,” he said.
But the war’s true cost will be even higher, since the Page report only looked at costs incurred as a direct result of the mission, and doesn’t factor in the strain on military resources and equipment. The report also doesn’t include the cost of “danger pay” for soldiers. All Canadian soldiers and diplomats in Afghanistan receive additional pay based on the danger of their assignment, for soldiers this pay tops out at just over $2,000 a month.
“If we were to provide an estimate in a full-cost basis it would be a much larger number,” said Page.
The upper estimate breaks down to $1,500 per Canadian household, if Canada ends the mission in 2011, and current troop commitment remains steady.

 Cost of the Canadian
mission in Afghanistan:
$13.9 to $18.1 billion

 Cost of military
operations:
Between $5.9 and $7.5
billion

 Foreign aid to
Afghanistan:
$1 billion

 Cost per Canadian household: up to $1,500

 Approximate monthly
cost: $200 million

Related Posts