How much will war with Iraq cost?

• Author: Book, Elizabeth G.
• Position: Washington Pulse

The Democratic members of the House Budget Committee released a report analyzing the potential costs of a war in Iraq.

"The initial military operation alone could cost $48 billion to $93 billion, if 10-year interest costs are included," said Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C. However, it is understood that "an initial military victory would be only one stage of action against Iraq, and that other costs would be incurred," he said. Other costs could include U.S. peacekeeping, occupation or humanitarian forces.

The estimate "assumes a war lasting 30 to 60 days and a U.S. force ranging from 125,000 to 250,000," Sprart said. "Moreover, the analysis assumes U.S. military operations will go as they went during the Persian Gulf War, with inept enemy forces, no use of chemical or biological weapons, access to bases and airspace in most Gulf states and Turkey, and low casualties on our side. ... Any or all of these variables could change for the worse, and if so, costs could be significantly higher than estimated."

Spratt's estimates differ greatly from those by the Congressional Budget Office. Dan Crippen, director of the CBO, said that war costs...