Robert Gates on Budget & Economy Secretary of Defense-Designee

Iraq war costs should not circumvent normal budget process

Iraq war will cost US up to $2 trillion

To date, the US has spent roughly $400 billion on the Iraq War, and costs are running about $8 billion per month. In addition, the US must expect significant “tail costs” to come. Caring for veterans and replacing lost equipment will run into the hundreds of billions of dollars. Estimates run as high as $2 trillion for the final cost of the US involvement in Iraq.

The US has appropriated a total of about $34 billion to support the reconstruction of Iraq. There is a substantial need for continued reconstruction in Iraq. International support for Iraqi reconstruction has been tepid. International donors pledged $13.5 billion to support reconstruction, but less than $4 billion has been delivered.