Hidden costs raise US war price, Washington Post says
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New York, Nov 13, IRNA
US War-Congress
The US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are costing nearly double the amount previously thought, the Washington Post said on Tuesday.
Democrats say the wars have cost $1.5 trillion - almost twice the requested $804bn - because of "hidden costs", according to a report to be presented to Congress later in the day.
That figure would amount to $20,000 for an average US family of four, it adds.
Among the indicators contributing to the higher cost of the conflicts are higher oil costs and payments to war veterans.
The Democratic authors included the costs of treating wounded veterans and mounting interest payments on money borrowed to finance the wars.
The report calculates that the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan have cost the average US family of four more than $20,000.
It adds that the amount could rise to $46,300 over the next decade.
The committee's Democrats estimate that treating veterans could add more than $30bn to war costs, including disability payments and lost earnings for veterans affected by post-traumatic stress disorder.
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