The US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR)
has put out a new report estimating how much the US has spent on
Afghanistan economic development since 2002, estimating it at $132 billion.
The $132 billion included $82.5 billion for security, $34.5 billion for
government, and other assorted money for humanitarian aid and civilian
operations. SIGAR added that another $5.2 billion would be required if a
political settlement was reached.
18 years into the US war in Afghanistan, a settlement was to be had just
weeks ago, only for President Trump to scrap the deal and announce that
the war would continue. Though this saves the $5.2 billion in the
near-term, it’s going to add to general annual costs indefinitely as the
war shows no sign of ending any other way.
And even whn it ultimately ends, the US is still presumably going to
consider itself on the hook for funding the settlement, so that’s just
an expense deferred until later in the seemingly endless war.
Inspector General: US Funded $132 Billion in Afghanistan Development Since 2002
Another $5 billion could be required for political settlement
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