<snip>
Feb. 14, 2005, 11:20PM
Iraq, Afghanistan war costs approaching $300 billion
Bush requests $82 billion for all overseas efforts
By ALAN FRAM
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - The United States' military and reconstruction operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are approaching half what it cost the country to fight the Vietnam War — with more expenses to come.
President Bush asked Congress on Monday for $81.9 billion to keep the conflicts going this year and to finance other U.S. efforts overseas, including aid to help Indian Ocean countries rebuild from December's tsunami. He said the money would help Iraq and Afghanistan pursue "the path of democracy and freedom."
Assuming congressional approval, which seems likely, the proposal would push the total spent in Iraq and Afghanistan and other efforts against terrorism beyond $300 billion, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.
The U.S. involvement in Vietnam, which lasted more than a decade when it ended in 1975, cost $623 billion when that era's expenditures are converted to the value of today's dollars.
<more>
<link>
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/3040317But, even if our troops did not fire another shoot starting tonight at midnight and Bush began bringing the troops home next month, the war costs and rebuilding committments to just these two ares will continue to run run into the hundreds of billions of dollars over the next ten years.